Max Verstappen has issued a direct statement against online abuse following the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season finale at Portimão. The four-time Formula 1 World Champion defended his endurance racing teammate, Chris Lulham, who faced significant online harassment after a racing incident during the event.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Verstappen was competing for his eponymous Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, sharing the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO with Lulham and British driver Ben Barnicoat.
The team started the three-hour race from 13th position on the grid. During the second stint, Lulham was behind the wheel and made contact with Luca Stolz’s #48 Winward Racing Mercedes. This occurred at Turn 8 as Lulham attempted an overtake for fifth place, resulting in Stolz spinning.
Race stewards subsequently issued a drive-through penalty to the #3 Mercedes. This sanction dropped Verstappen Racing from a strong top-ten position to 24th place. Verstappen took over for the final 45-minute stint, recovering the car to a ninth-place finish.
Following the race, Lulham became the target of extensive online abuse and personal attacks across social media platforms. Verstappen addressed this directly via his own social media channels, condemning the vitriol aimed at his teammate.
Verstappen stated that while opinions on on-track incidents are acceptable, personal attacks are not. He highlighted Lulham’s strong performance throughout the weekend and acknowledged that mistakes are an inherent part of racing.
“Everyone can have their opinions about what happened on track, but these personal attacks are not okay. Chris had a really strong stint, and mistakes can happen. There’s no place for this kind of abuse in our sport or anywhere else.”
The Red Bull driver also noted his own experience with online abuse, stating that if it is directed at him, individuals can ‘eff off.’ However, he emphasized the impact on younger drivers like Lulham, who may not be accustomed to such pressure and attention.
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has actively addressed online toxicity in motorsport. In 2023, the FIA launched the ‘United Against Online Abuse’ (UAOA) campaign. This initiative, led by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, aims to combat online harassment through policy advocacy and collaborative action.
In October 2026, the FIA, in collaboration with Dublin City University, published a book titled ‘Combating Online Abuse in Sports: The Game Beyond the Screen.’ This publication identifies seven distinct forms of online abuse and advocates for coordinated action across sport, government, and technology sectors.
Chris Lulham, 23, transitioned into GT racing through Verstappen’s own programme after a background in sim racing. Ben Barnicoat, a professional sports car racer and former karting rival of Verstappen, joined the team for the Portimão finale.
Verstappen’s participation in the GT World Challenge Europe finale occurred during a break in the Formula 1 calendar. He is currently fourth in the 2026 F1 Drivers’ Championship, 119 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli, with six races remaining. Verstappen secured victories in the two preceding F1 Grands Prix in Malaysia and Singapore.
