Summary
- Verstappen’s schedule now covers seven consecutive race weekends in seven countries.
- Portimão fills the gap between Singapore and the United States Grand Prix.
- The sequence combines six F1 races with a three-hour GT3 event in Portugal.
Max Verstappen has turned the only free weekend between two Formula 1 triple-headers into another racing appointment. His confirmed appearance at Portimão means he will compete on seven consecutive weekends, from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to São Paulo.
The sequence began in Baku on 26 September and runs through Interlagos on 8 November. In between, Verstappen will race in Malaysia, Singapore, Portugal, the United States and Mexico — changing championships and cars along the way.
“It is going to be a busy seven weeks, but I will enjoy it. Let’s see what we can do at Portimão,” Verstappen said following confirmation of his GT3 appearance.
Verstappen’s seven-week racing marathon
| Weekend | Event | Circuit | Main race date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Azerbaijan GP — F1 | Baku | Saturday, 26 September |
| 2 | Bahrain GP in Malaysia — F1 | Sepang | Sunday, 4 October |
| 3 | Singapore GP — F1 | Marina Bay | Sunday, 11 October |
| 4 | GT World Challenge Europe finale | Portimão | Saturday, 17 October |
| 5 | United States GP — F1 | Circuit of The Americas | Sunday, 25 October |
| 6 | Mexico City GP — F1 | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | Sunday, 1 November |
| 7 | São Paulo GP — F1 | Interlagos | Sunday, 8 November |
Seven events, seven countries and no weekend away from competition: the Portuguese race occupies the break that otherwise separates Singapore from Austin.
From Red Bull to Mercedes — and back again
The most unusual stop comes halfway through the sequence. After three consecutive Formula 1 weekends, Verstappen will switch from his Red Bull single-seater to the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 entered under the Verstappen Racing banner.
He will share the car with Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat in Portimão’s three-hour race. Regular drivers Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella have World Endurance Championship commitments that weekend, creating the opportunity for Verstappen to join the line-up.
GRANDE PRÊMIO has detailed Verstappen’s confirmed Portimão entry and the driver changes behind it. news.verstappen.com
The change involves more than a different badge. GT3 racing introduces shared driving duties, traffic from cars of different performance levels and a team result built around multiple drivers’ contributions.
The event lasts three hours; Verstappen will share the driving rather than complete the entire distance himself. Portimão’s published timetable places the race on Saturday, 17 October, with practice and qualifying on Friday.
Singapore’s break becomes Portugal’s race weekend
For much of the Formula 1 grid, the weekend after Singapore offers a pause before the championship travels to the Americas. Verstappen will instead head from Southeast Asia to southern Europe for another set of practice, qualifying and racing commitments.
His itinerary then continues to Austin, Mexico City and São Paulo on successive weekends. Across the sequence, he moves from Baku’s street circuit to Sepang’s permanent track, Singapore’s night race, Portimão’s elevation changes and three distinctly different American venues.
That variety is part of what makes this stretch unusual: he will keep racing while alternating between street and permanent circuits, two categories and two very different cars.
The Brazilian sister operation of GRANDE PRÊMIO broadcasts the complete GT World Challenge Europe season live, including the championship in which Verstappen will compete at Portimão.
When does Verstappen finally get a free weekend?
Once the São Paulo Grand Prix finishes on 8 November, the next weekend — 14–15 November — is clear in this confirmed sequence. Formula 1 then resumes in Las Vegas, whose race takes place on Saturday, 21 November.
Portimão therefore transforms two Formula 1 triple-headers into one continuous personal racing programme. What would have been a recovery weekend becomes another opportunity to compete.
Formula 1 returns this weekend, from 2–4 October, to Malaysia, which hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action at Sepang.
F1 today: FAQ
What time does F1 practice start at Sepang?
Friday practice begins on 2 October. FP1 starts at 05:30 BST in the UK, 10:00 IST in India and 14:30 AEST in Sydney and Melbourne. In New York and Toronto, it starts at 00:30 EDT; in Los Angeles and Vancouver, at 21:30 PDT on Thursday. FP2 begins three and a half hours later.
Is Esteban Ocon leaving Haas and retiring from F1?
Ocon will leave Haas at the end of 2026, but says he intends to remain in Formula 1. He has not announced retirement and would consider a reserve role while seeking another race seat.
What happened to Oscar Piastri at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Piastri was running near the front in Baku before a mistake during a Safety Car restart dropped him out of podium contention. He finished 14th, adding to a difficult 2026 season for the McLaren driver.
How many consecutive weekends will Max Verstappen race?
Verstappen’s confirmed schedule covers seven consecutive weekends, from Azerbaijan on 26 September to São Paulo on 8 November.
