Verstappen Racing has announced a multi-year collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, starting next year.

Verstappen Racing will continue in the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, which, with the new programme, highlights the next chapter in the Verstappen Racing project.

"We are delighted that Verstappen Racing has chosen to field a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT World Challenge Europe," said Stefan Wendl, Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing. "With 2 Seas Motorsport, the project is supported by a highly experienced team that has already achieved numerous successes and championship titles with our car.

"Accordingly, we are very pleased about this extremely ambitious and promising project, as well as about another high-calibre entry in both the Sprint and Endurance programmes of the GT World Challenge Europe."

Chris Lulham will continue in 2026 with his racing programme in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup (GT World Sprint), marking his second season in the series, where he will be partnered by his new teammate Daniel Juncadella.

The 34-year-old Spanish driver has a lot of experience, also racing in a Mercedes-AMG GT3, to bring to the team. The pair will share the car, run by the 2 Seas Motorsport team, in the five rounds of the sprint championship, racing on some of the most iconic and historic circuits in Europe.

"It is really exciting to continue racing in the GT World Challenge Europe, now with a new teammate and new car," said Lulham. "I have learned and experienced a lot in my first year of GT3, and it's an unbelievable opportunity to now be able to work with such professionals as Mercedes-AMG and Daniel. I can't wait to get started."

"I'm excited to be partnering up with Chris in the upcoming season," added Juncadella, "and thankful to Verstappen Racing to be partnering up with Mercedes-AMG. With the input that Max brings to the table, it's a really strong project."

Verstappen Racing will also continue supporting an entry into the highly competitive GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup (GT World Endurance), where Lulham and Juncadella will share the cockpit of the Mercedes with Jules Gounon, across the five rounds of the highly anticipated championship, which includes flagship races such as the 24 Hours of Spa.

"As I have worked for years with Mercedes-AMG, it is just great to now continue to build on that experience, together with Verstappen Racing, Chris and Dani," said Gounon. "It is a fantastic project that has all the ingredients to make it a success. I look forward to working together."

The announcement comes at a time Max Verstappen confirmed that he did hold talks Mercedes about the possibility of joining the F1 team.

"I'm not going to lie," he told the BBC. "For sure, there were talks, but at the same time, it was all very friendly and open. Nothing more than that.

"For me, it's not only about F1," he continued. "There's a lot of things that have to come together for me to make a change. Future roles, stuff like that. So if I ever would make a change, of course, it's a big one for me because this definitely feels like a second family, and that's not easy to replicate, let's say, like that.

"The change, if I would ever make one, it's not only because I need a faster F1 car or I need a difference in the environment," he insisted. "There's a lot of things that are around my F1 career and things that I'm doing outside of F1 that all have to come together."

Of course, in September the four-time world champion won on his own GT3 debut at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Asked why he felt the need to race in other categories alongside his F1 commitments, he said he was "always trying to look for details, trying to just learn about the car, learn about yourself, do a lot of things also outside of F1".

"I'm driving, of course, a lot of different cars, external which I don't think it hurts you, racing in F1," he continued. "So, yeah, just trying to make yourself a bit more of a complete driver, a bit more all-round."

Picture Credit: David Klopman / Verstappen.com