Verstappen's GT Team Faces Qualifying Setback in Portimão

Max Verstappen's GT World Challenge Europe outing in Portimão didn't go according to plan, with the team's decision to tweak their Mercedes-AMG GT3 setup backfiring spectacularly. Ben Barnicoat, one of Verstappen's teammates, explained that while they aimed to boost speed, the alterations led to unexpected complications.

The #3 car will line up 15th on the grid for Sunday's three-hour race, a spot determined by averaging the qualifying times of all three drivers. Verstappen, who is paired with British drivers Chris Lulham and Barnicoat, took to the track for the final qualifying session (Q3) but was unable to improve their position.

During the session, sparks were seen flying from the underside of their car, a result of the vehicle bottoming out. Barnicoat confirmed that this issue impacted their pace, noting, "Yeah, definitely. Tough session." While they had been competitive on the timesheets, the team felt they were still missing something.

In a bid to rectify this, the team attempted a few adjustments, but it only resulted in a bumpy ride and more sparks. "We just missed it a little bit," Barnicoat admitted. However, he remained optimistic, emphasizing the endurance nature of the event: "15th could be worse. It's never over until it's over in these endurance races."

Despite the setback, Barnicoat expressed confidence in the team, highlighting their recent successes, including a podium finish at Nürburgring. "The team have been up the front the whole time," he said, adding that while adapting to the Mercedes has been a challenge, the team remains strong.

With a four-time world champion like Verstappen in their ranks, Barnicoat remains hopeful for the race. "We're all winners," he declared, as the team looks to rectify their mistakes and aim for the front in Sunday's race.