Max Verstappen has spoken out against the online abuse directed at Chris Lulham following the 3 Hours of Portimão, the final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe season.
The Red Bull Formula 1 driver publicly defended his teammate after the British racer became the target of offensive comments on social media following an incident that compromised the result of the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 entered by Verstappen Racing.
The crew, which also included Ben Barnicoat, eventually finished ninth after an impressive recovery drive from Verstappen, who gained 15 positions during the final stint.
The controversy centred on contact between Lulham and the No. 11 Mercedes, which resulted in a drive-through penalty and a significant loss of positions.
From Podium Contention to a Costly Penalty
The race had started promisingly for the Verstappen Racing crew.
Despite a challenging qualifying session, Barnicoat delivered an excellent opening stint, climbing to second position before handing over the car after 66 minutes.
Lulham rejoined the race in eighth place, but contact with another Mercedes prompted the stewards to issue a drive-through penalty.
The sanction dropped the car to 16th, undoing much of the progress made during the opening phase.
By the time Verstappen took over for the final stint, the No. 3 Mercedes had fallen to 24th position.
The four-time Formula 1 World Champion immediately began working his way through the field, also benefiting from a Safety Car period that brought the pack closer together.
During the closing stages, Verstappen completed a series of overtakes to bring the Mercedes home in ninth place.
Verstappen Speaks Out Against Online Abuse
Despite the recovery, Lulham’s incident triggered a wave of criticism on social media, with some comments escalating into personal attacks against the young British driver.
Verstappen responded publicly, making it clear that such behaviour has no place in motorsport.
The Dutchman acknowledged that fans are entitled to express their opinions about incidents on track but stressed that sporting criticism should never turn into harassment or personal abuse.
He also defended Lulham’s performance, pointing out that his teammate had shown competitive pace and that mistakes are an inevitable part of racing.
Verstappen’s message highlighted the importance of respecting drivers, even when their actions on track lead to disappointing results.
A Promising GT World Challenge Europe Debut
Beyond the controversy, Verstappen expressed satisfaction with his first appearance in the GT World Challenge Europe.
The Portimão event provided another opportunity for the Dutch driver to compete in GT3 machinery, a category in which he has shown increasing interest.
Although the weekend was far from straightforward, the team demonstrated encouraging potential.
The No. 3 Mercedes showed strong pace throughout the race, first with Barnicoat during the opening stint and later with Verstappen’s recovery drive.
The final ninth-place finish did not fully reflect the crew’s competitiveness, but the sporting result was ultimately overshadowed by the online reaction to Lulham’s penalty.
By publicly supporting his teammate, Verstappen delivered a clear message: racing incidents can be debated and criticised, but they should never become an excuse for personal abuse.