Max Verstappen is set to make his comeback to GT3 racing, going head-to-head with Valentino Rossi. The two will compete over the course of seven consecutive weekends.

Verstappen confirmed his upcoming GT3 participation, his first since the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May, just ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

This unexpected appearance was made feasible by a last-minute alteration to the World Endurance Championship schedule, which has left full-season Verstappen Racing drivers Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella unable to compete in the conflicting GTWCE finale. Gounon and Juncadella will be racing for Alpine and Genesis respectively during the Barcelona 6 Hours on the same weekend.

“I know that two of my drivers won't be part of the line-up. Two other drivers need to step in. I'm looking forward to it,” Verstappen remarked, before confirming his own participation.

“Of course, I would have loved to see my usual drivers compete, but the calendar changes from time to time. And that's alright.

“I love Portimao. I enjoy being in Portugal. So we will aim for a successful weekend.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

It remains uncertain who will partner Verstappen and Chris Lulham for the three-round Endurance Cup race at Portimao, but the Red Bull driver has ruled out the possibility of collaborating with Fernando Alonso.

With the addition of the Portimao GTWCE event, Verstappen is gearing up for the busiest period of the season, participating in seven consecutive races from last weekend’s Azerbaijan GP to the Brazilian GP on 8 November.

“It's going to be a hectic seven weeks, but we'll manage it and I enjoy it regardless. So, let’s see what we can achieve there,” he added.

Verstappen has been increasingly dedicating more time to his sports car racing pursuits, while his namesake team has also broadened its racing program for 2026.

Next year, Verstappen aims to return to the Nordschleife for a second attempt at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, having been unfairly denied victory this May due to a late mechanical failure.

The 29-year-old also plans to incorporate the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours into his 2027 agenda, although he has dismissed any discussions about racing Ford’s new Hypercar at the Le Mans 24 Hours.