Battle royale at Portimão as GT World concludes 2026 with spectacular finale

Portimão will host a major motor racing event from 16–18 October featuring the GT World season finale. This event will showcase over 60 GT3 cars from 10 manufacturers in a three-hour race on Saturday evening, where numerous titles will be decided. Max Verstappen will join the competition with his own Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing.

The main GT World Challenge race will start at 17:00 on Saturday, followed by a full day of racing activities on Sunday, which includes multiple support series and fan experiences. Recent results at the Nürburgring determined the Endurance Cup champions, leaving the Pro teams to focus solely on claiming victory in Portimão.

Notable drivers in this race include Nicki Thiim (Aston Martin), Mirko Bortolotti (Lamborghini), Thomas Preining (Porsche), Valentino Rossi (BMW), and Arthur Leclerc (Ferrari). The event will mark Max Verstappen’s debut in this series as he pilots a Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Several championships will be concluded at the event, including the Overall, Gold Cup, and Bronze Cup titles, with only the Silver Cup previously decided. This means the event will be filled with excitement, celebrations, and some disappointments when the race concludes at 20:00.

The event is designed to enhance the fan experience, with an open paddock, pit and grid walks, and a fan zone offering various food, drinks, merchandise, and live music. This unique Portimão event allows fans to fully immerse in the GT World atmosphere.

In addition to the main race, there is a comprehensive lineup of support series, leading to over eight hours of racing throughout the weekend. The GT2 European Series, GT4 European Series, and McLaren Trophy Europe will hold their championships in Portimão, including the first-ever SRO GT Academy winner qualification for the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup in 2027.

General admission tickets provide access to grandstands, paddocks, pit walks, and grid walks. A full weekend pass costs 25€, while a Saturday ticket, which includes the main race, is 15€, with free admission for children 16 and under.

For those unable to attend, all GT World Challenge events will be streamed live on the GT World YouTube channel in various languages. Coverage starts on Friday at 08:45 with Free Practice 1, followed by Free Practice 2 at 12:45, Qualifying at 17:55, and the main event at 17:00 on Saturday. The other series will also be available for live viewing.