F1 star Max Verstappen slapped with a penalty after stewards conclude GT3 investigation

Max Verstappen has been informed of his sanctions after GT World Challenge stewards concluded their investigation into a collision during FP1 on GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup weekend in Portugal.

Verstappen is competing in the team event in the Algarve under the Mercedes-AMG Verstappen Racing banner. Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and British pair Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham complete the four-time Formula 1 world champion's team in Portimao.

After an investigation into his collision with Sainteloc Racing's Audi during FP3, GT World Challenge stewards issued Verstappen with a reprimand and a Behavioural Warning Point.

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Max Verstappen tackles the GT World Challenge

"On a busy track, Verstappen tried to pass the Audi on the inside as the door closed at Turn 3, with the cars making contact," reports Planet F1.

"The Audi spun around to face Verstappen’s car, with onboard footage showing Verstappen raising a hand in frustration."

The 29-year-old is taking advantage of a gap in the F1 calendar to take on his latest new adventure.

Verstappen has frequented the endurance formats at Germany's Nurburgring in the last couple of seasons and has returned to grand tourer racing after taking part in the Intercontinental GT Challenge for one round at the Nurburgring in May.

He is racing at the Algarve International Circuit for the final weekend of the GT World Challenge season in between F1 races in Singapore and the United States.

The Verstappen team were classified in 20th place after Friday's first practice session at the start of a weekend that will culminate in the headline three-hour endurance race.

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How Verstappen's F1 rivals are spending their weekend off

Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is making the most of his downtime between races. The Brit is in third place in the world championship standings behind Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, and is blowing off steam with a surfing trip to Bali.

Hamilton's Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, is kicking back at home in Monaco, while Liam Lawson is presumably preparing for his musical performance in Austin next weekend, and Valtteri Bottas is relaxing in the Australian outback.

F1 will be back in focus before they know it. The United States GP will take place at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas next weekend with Antonelli leading the world championship by 102 points ahead of Russell in second and Hamilton a few points further back in third.

Verstappen 119 points behind Antonelli and currently occupies third place in the standings. He will arrive in Austin on the back of two consecutive Grand Prix wins in Malaysia and Singapore, his first two victories of a solid but occasionally frustrating 2026 season.

Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar sits in eighth place.