Verstappen Racing star thanks his boss after first victory of 2026

After qualifying on pole position for the opening race of the weekend at Magny-Cours, Verstappen Racing claimed victory in Saturday's GT World Challenge Europe Sprint race in France, with Gounon and Dani Juncadella sharing driving duties in the Mercedes-AMG GT3. On Sunday, however, the duo could not repeat the feat, crossing the finish line in eighth place.

This was the first victory Verstappen could celebrate this season. In Formula 1, the Dutchman has only come close at the Red Bull Ring despite scoring several podiums in 2026, while at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, a car issue eliminated his team from contention despite leading the race.

On social media, Gounon shared a heartfelt message: "People only remember who wins. They rarely see what it costs to get there. Last weekend in Magny-Cours, we stood on the top step again. Everything felt perfect. But what makes this victory so special is everything that came before it.The last few months have been some of the hardest we faced.

He continued: "It’s about every single person behind the scenes. Max Verstappen and Verstappen Racing chasing every last detail. The mechanics, engineers, team manager, physios, tyre crews, truck drivers… everyone giving everything for a result only a few people truly understand.

"We’ll enjoy this one, time for some holidays, recharge, spend time with people I love and come back ready to fight again. Thank you to everyone who believed in us. Motorsport… it can break our hearts over and over again, but it can also give us emotions that are impossible to describe," Gounon concluded.