Max Verstappen may be set to make another appearance in the Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 this October.
A persistent rumour in the GT world suggests the Dutch driver will be on the starting grid in Portimão from October 16 through 18 during the final round of the GT World Challenge.
Should it happen, Verstappen is set to share the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Chris Lulham, but the driver for the third seat has not yet been announced.
Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon, who are part of the regular lineup for this season’s endurance races, are seemingly unavailable due to their commitments in the World Endurance Championship.
This creates an opening for an interesting replacement alongside Verstappen and Lulham. Reportedly, the team is considering several options, with one notable name making the rounds: Alex Palou.
The IndyCar superstar is said to be a candidate to join the team in Portugal and is available, as the IndyCar season will be long over by then.
Verstappen himself is said to have expressed a preference for Palou as the third driver. Whether that wish will actually be granted remains unclear for now.
A return to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 would once again underscore just how seriously Verstappen takes his GT3 project, but his participation would mean he is in for some intense weeks.
The weekend before, he’ll race in the Singapore F1 Grand Prix; the weekend after, he’ll travel for the United States Grand Prix.
The Dutchman has recently become increasingly involved in the program and is combining his F1 career with appearances in endurance racing. Earlier this year, he already formed a successful partnership with Juncadella and Gounon.
A Mercedes spokesperson told RacingNews365: “On behalf of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, I can neither confirm that Max Verstappen will take part in the final GT World Challenge round in Portimão, nor that Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella will miss the event.
“We are currently assessing various scenarios to ensure that we can compete effectively in Portimão with our teams.“