• German squad secures closing victory of 2026 in commanding fashion
• Max Verstappen lights up Portimão by charging through the field in stellar debut performance
• Brilliant weekend draws big numbers to Portuguese venue as season ends in style
PROVISIONAL RESULT: PORTIMÃO
Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed claimed the final victory of 2026 in a truly spectacular GT World decider at Portimão. The German squad took the chequered flag at the conclusion of a breathless three-hour Endurance Cup battle, which ended amid a flood of GT3 headlights.
The closing event brought a big attendance to the Portuguese venue to experience the finale. With action on track and plenty to see and do in the paddock, fans were treated to a perfect showcase of what GT World has to offer – and it hinted at even bigger things for the future.
This victory was the first for GetSpeed and the 12th for Mercedes-AMG in Endurance Cup competition. For Maximilian Götz, it represented a first overall victory since the final round of the 2013 season, while his teammates Fabian Schiller and Ralf Aron both became first-time winners.
Porsche filled the second and third steps of the podium, with the Lionspeed GP taking runner-up spot ahead of the Boutsen VDS. Selected Car Racing was fourth overall, scoring a polished Gold Cup victory and very nearly snatching the class title. Ultimately, they just missed out to CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa winner ROWE Racing.
The Silver Cup winner was Team WRT, which had already sealed the class crown and delivered the perfect parting performance with its #30 BMW. In the Bronze Cup, 2 Seas Motorsport put in its strongest showing of the year to bag the class win with the #222 Mercedes-AMG.
As is typical in the Endurance Cup, this was a race full of on-track action. The top 10 cars were separated by just 10 seconds throughout the opening stint, after which the number of overtakes increased as drivers chased the best possible finish to the campaign. The most eye-catching of all came from Max Verstappen, who made his series debut in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry.
The Dutchman was 24th when he began his stint – his car having received a penalty during the previous hour – and his progress was further delayed by a safety car. But when racing resumed Verstappen put on display of his incredible natural talent, carving through the order as darkness fell with several extremely decisive overtakes.
From outside the top 20, Verstappen somehow took the chequered flag in ninth position. When he climbed out of the car, it was clear that the Dutchman had enjoyed his first GT World experience. His late cameo was the perfect finish to an incredible season, which began six months ago at Circuit Paul Ricard.
The same venue will host the opening round of the 2027 campaign, with the action set to begin on 15–18 April. While this year will be a difficult act to follow, there is good reason to expect even more from GT World in the year to come. Indeed, there has never been a better time for fans of GT racing.
