Racing team for GT World Challenge Europe
Verstappen switches to Mercedes-AMG
Updated 12/26/2025 – 9:19 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Formula 1 star Max Verstappen, still under contract with Red Bull, is getting a little closer to the Mercedes Motorsport team. In a racing series, his team switches to the German manufacturer.
Mercedes has announced that a “long-term collaboration” contract has been signed with Max Verstappen’s racing team. The Formula 1 world champion will remain with Red Bull. Only the GT team he leads will move to the German manufacturer. And: Red Bull is also the main sponsor of the GT team.
In 2022, Red Bull and the Dutchman’s racing team joined forces to form Verstappen.com Racing X Red Bull. His father Jos Verstappen is also involved in the company.
The multiple Formula 1 world champion had already tested the vehicle, a Mercedes-AMG GT3, in Spain. His racing team “Verstappen.com Racing 2026” will bring the car into the racing series together with 2 Seas Motorsport. So far, the Dutchman’s team had put an Aston Martin on the track and won the gold trophy in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
In the Sprint Cup, the AMG will be driven by Chris Lulham and former works driver Daniel Juncadella, who will drive for Genesis in the FIA WEC hypercar class next year, reports the Austrian “Kronen Zeitung”. In the Endurance Cup, Jules Gounon Lulham will complete Verstappen’s driver trio. The 24-hour classic at Spa-Francorchamps is considered the highlight of the racing series. Apparently Max Verstappen himself also wants to take part in this race, initially listed as one of the drivers in his team. However, the final racing calendar has not yet been determined.
Even if group managing director Oliver Mintzlaff does not believe that Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull early, the GT change is fueling new rumors. After winning four titles in a row this season, Verstappen had to hand over the World Cup crown to McLaren driver Lando Norris. But his racing team’s performance curve showed an upward trend again in the second half after a disappointing start to the year.
“It’s important to say that I’m not afraid of any performance clauses in his contract. The most important thing for an athlete is that he sees that everyone in the team is giving everything for him. And I think Max is impressed by how the results and the mood in the team have developed this year,” said Mintzlaff in an interview with the Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf.