Verstappen reprimanded after stewards find him at fault in Portimão

Max Verstappen was reprimanded and given one behaviour warning point after GT World Challenge Europe stewards ruled he caused an avoidable collision with Ezequiel Pérez Companc during opening practice at Portimão.

The contact came at Turn 3 on the first lap, when Verstappen tried to pass Pérez Companc’s #25 Audi on the inside. Pérez Companc spun. Verstappen told the stewards he expected the Audi to stay on the outside and was surprised when it turned in. Pérez Companc said he had been watching cars ahead and had not seen Verstappen on his right; he considered it an unfortunate racing incident.

The stewards cited the first-lap setting and traffic ahead affecting the Audi’s line as mitigating circumstances when they chose the sanction.

Verstappen completed 27 laps in the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 and set a best of 1:43.046, which ranked 18th at the time among 61 cars. Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat later drove the car but did not improve the time, leaving Verstappen Racing 20th overall in the session.