Verstappen Racing struggles to 15th as Porsche takes emotional Portimao pole
Max Verstappen, Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat missed the set-up window in qualifying as Boutsen VDS claimed pole at the GTWC Europe finale
Max Verstappen, Chris Lulham, and Ben Barnicoat struggled to secure a top 15 finish in the final race of the GT World Challenge Europe season at the Portimao circuit. The Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by Ralf Aron, Maximilian Gotz, and Fabian Schiller, managed to claim the second pole position for the team. The team's performance in qualifying was plagued by issues, including low ride height, bouncing over bumps, and understeer through hairpin turns at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve.
These issues were evident as early as Q1, where Ben Barnicoat only managed the 21st-fastest time. Despite a promising start in Q3, Verstappen could not significantly improve the team's position. The team's setup changes following the two free practice sessions ultimately backfired, leading to increased sparking and bouncing in straight lines.
Despite the setback, Barnicoat remained optimistic for the race, expressing confidence in their abilities and the team's potential to improve.
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