Why Verstappen and His Teammates Struggled in Portimão

Pulse Sports Team 11:53 - 17 October 2026

Ben Barnicoat, who is sharing driving duties with Max Verstappen in Portimão, revealed that last-minute setup tweaks at Verstappen Racing ahead of qualifying led to an unexpected dip in performance. The drivers felt a lack of outright pace, and the adjustments made failed to deliver the desired outcome.

The No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 will line up 15th on the grid for today's three-hour race following a tricky qualifying session.

The four-time Formula 1 World Champion is contesting the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe season finale at the Algarve International Circuit, a venue set to return to the F1 calendar in 2027 as host of the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Friday proved to be a demanding test for Verstappen's crew, which also features British racers Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat. The Dutchman took the wheel for the decisive third qualifying segment, during which sparks were visibly trailing from the floor and front splitter. He was unable to move the team up the order, with the final grid determined by the average lap times across all three drivers.

The car's handling posed serious challenges for the whole crew, and Barnicoat reflected on the setup struggles after the session.

Asked whether bottoming out and the resulting sparks compromised their pace, the Briton confirmed:

“Yes, absolutely. It was a really tough session. We felt we were lacking a bit of pace. We were in reasonable positions on the timing screens, but none of us were entirely happy with the balance. So we decided to make a few changes, but they simply didn't pay off. There were plenty of sparks, as everyone saw on TV, and the car was bouncing heavily along the straights. I think we just got the setup wrong. Still, 15th isn't the worst starting spot. It's a three-hour race and we'll give it everything. In endurance racing, nothing is decided in advance. We have a fantastic lineup and a great team, so I believe we can get a strong result.”

The No. 3 car has already claimed race wins and podium finishes this season, providing the drivers with plenty of confidence ahead of Sunday's main event.

“The team has been running at the sharp end all season. We're fresh off a podium at the Nürburgring with Dani Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Chris, so we know what we're capable of. On a personal level, adapting to the Mercedes is a bit more challenging since it's quite different from the Lexus I'm accustomed to. But Max and Chris showed great pace, and I'm confident we'll be in the mix tomorrow. We missed the mark in qualifying, but we know where we went wrong and how to fix it. We all share a winning mentality, and we have a four-time world champion in the crew. Tomorrow we go in fully focused to fight for the top positions,” Barnicoat added.