Verstappen Racing migrates to Mercedes-AMG from 2026

Verstappen Racing, the team of four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, announced this Wednesday a new strategic collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. The multi-year deal places another Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo in GT World Challenge Europe starting next season.

The operation will continue to be carried out by 2 Seas Motorsport, a team which has a history with the German manufacturer. Last season, the 2 Seas ran Aston Martin models, winning the Endurance Cup title in the Gold Cup category and victory in the Spa 24 Hours. With the new agreement, Verstappen Racing seeks to give greater visibility to its program in the Sprint and Endurance categories.

One of the central points of the announcement is the return of Dani Juncadella to Mercedes-AMG. The 34-year-old Spanish driver, who recently ended his contract as a factory Corvette driver and signed with Genesis for the FIA ​​WEC, will once again drive a GT3 for the German manufacturer. Juncadella will team up with Briton Chris Lulham in all five stages of the Sprint Cup.

“I’m excited to partner with Chris next season and grateful to Verstappen Racing for the collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. With the contribution Max is making, it’s a really strong project,” said Juncadella.

For the long Endurance Cup races, the team will call on Jules Gounon. The Frenchman, who is part of Alpine’s Hypercar program in the WEC, will retain his status as a Mercedes-AMG factory driver for this project. In a press release, Gounon stressed:

“This is a fantastic project that has all the ingredients for success. I have been working with Mercedes for years and it is great to continue building on this experience with Verstappen Racing.”

The choice of Mercedes-AMG was based on the maturity of the car manufacturer’s GT3 project and the partnership with 2 Seas Motorsport. Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, commented on the project while welcoming the Dutch driver team:

“We are delighted that Verstappen Racing has chosen to enter a Mercedes-AMG GT3. With 2 Seas Motorsport, the project has a very experienced team that has already achieved numerous successes and titles with our car. We are very happy with this promising project and the presence of a new high-level entry in the Sprint and Endurance programs.”

The transition to the new car is already underway. Recently, Max Verstappen himself took part in testing sessions with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo at the Estoril circuit, Portugal, to assess performance and provide feedback to the team.

While Verstappen Racing has focused on different brands in the past, such as the Ferrari 296 GT3 operated by Emil Frey Racing in the last Sprint Cup season, the new long-term contract with Mercedes offers stability until at least 2026. The move also draws significant attention by aligning Verstappen’s personal brand with one of his current team’s biggest rivals in F1, although the project is being treated strictly as a Customer Racing initiative.

For Chris Lulham, who remains on the project after a year, the change represents a step forward:

“It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to work with professionals like Mercedes-AMG and Dani. I can’t wait to get started.”