This is how Verstappen’s GT3 race Qualifying in Portugal works: what he must do to take pole

Qualifying for the three-hour race in Portimão begins on Friday, October 16 at 18:55 Dutch time and runs until 20:05. This weekend, Verstappen shares his team’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat, and all three drivers must take part in qualifying.

It is worth noting that the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup is divided into four classes: the Pro Cup, Gold Cup, Silver Cup and Bronze Cup. Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing competes in the Pro Cup.

Qualifying in the Endurance Cup consists of three sessions: Q1, Q2 and Q3. One driver from each team takes part in each session. The three drivers therefore each have one opportunity to set a fast lap time. Unlike in Formula 1, no participants are eliminated during qualifying. All teams are allowed to take part in all three sessions, with the drivers’ fastest lap times ultimately determining the starting grid.

The format is linked to the nature of endurance racing. In the Endurance Cup, three drivers share the same car and must all take the wheel during the race. The organizers therefore want to prevent one exceptionally fast driver from determining the starting position on their own. By counting the lap times of all three drivers, the focus is not only on the speed of the car, but also on the performance of the full driver lineup. This makes qualifying different from Formula 1, where one driver is responsible for their own starting position.

For the 2026 season, the organizers have adjusted the format. To reduce traffic on the track, each qualifying session has been split into two groups. The Silver Cup and Bronze Cup form Group A, while the Pro Cup and Gold Cup run in Group B. Each group has ten minutes to set a fast lap. After both groups have finished, there is a five-minute break before the next qualifying session begins.

The starting position is determined by the average of the three fastest lap times, with each driver's fastest lap from their respective qualifying session counting towards the total. For example, if Verstappen sets a time of 1:40.000, Lulham 1:40.300 and Barnicoat 1:40.600, the average is 1:40.300. This is the time used to rank the team in the combined qualifying classification.

This means that Verstappen may set the fastest lap in qualifying, but that will not automatically secure pole position. The performances of his teammates are just as important. Verstappen Racing competes in the Pro Cup and will therefore run in Group B each time, together with the Gold Cup entries. The team will have ten minutes in each of the three qualifying sessions to set a lap time.

Qualifying will take place on Friday, October 16 according to the following schedule.

During the race weekend in Portugal, GPblog will keep you up to date with the latest news from the paddock. The race begins on Saturday, October 17 at 17:00 GMT and lasts three hours.