Through Verstappen.com Racing, the Dutchman and his family are planning to put together a two-car GT3 team that could compete in series like the GT World Challenge (GTWC) from 2025 onwards.
Verstappen mentioned in an interview with the Dutch magazine Formule 1 that everything began with Team Redline in the world of sim racing.
“With Verstappen.com Racing we are sponsoring and supporting various racing activities from people close to me. We are also active in DTM and the GTWC Sprint with Thierry Vermeulen [the son of Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen] and with my father in rallying, but the end goal is to put together our own race team.
Our GT3 team is just starting out and we’re excited to see where it takes us. It would be great to reach the pinnacle of endurance racing.
Currently, we are actively engaged in the task. Although next year will be challenging, my aim is to acquire it at the earliest opportunity. Establishing a GT3 team by 2025, consisting of at least two cars, appears feasible.
Verstappen, who is a keen sim racer, is hoping to create a platform that can pick up talented sim racers and prepare them for a career in GT racing, and says he is just as ambitious as a team owner as he is as a Formula 1 racer.
Thierry Vermeulen, Emil Frey Racing Ferrari Ferrari 296 GT3
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
“I strive for excellence in everything I do, including this particular endeavor. My goal is to achieve success in this area as well. Moreover, I aim to establish a bridge between sim racing and GT3, providing an alternative pathway into motorsports that doesn’t solely rely on expensive karting.”
“We have dedicated a significant amount of time to this project. The initial planning stage has concluded, and we have transitioned into the execution phase.”
Max Verstappen had expressed his interest in transitioning to endurance racing once he concludes his career in Formula 1. This interest stems from the fact that the GT class of the Le Mans 24 Hours will be transitioning to GT3 machinery in the upcoming year.
But it remains to be seen in which sort of timeframe the Dutchman, who is romping to his third consecutive F1 world title this year, will make it to Le Mans, and whether his 2008 LMP2-winning father Jos will be part of it.
Verstappen expressed to Motorsport.com at the conclusion of the previous season that he is not in a rush. He believes it is more prudent to observe the developments in endurance racing and assess the outcome before making any decisions.
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