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Verstappen Racing Triumphs After Long Run of Tough Setbacks
Highlights
- Verstappen Racing secured first win at Magny-Cours Saturday evening.
- Gounon and Juncadella won driving #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
- Team moved to overall class this season from Gold class.
- Victory followed overcoming season-long setbacks and bad luck.
- Juncadella is second and Gounon fifth in Sprint Cup standings.
- Sunday’s race offers chance to build on Saturday’s momentum.
Verstappen Racing punctuates a difficult campaign with a breakthrough, taking its first GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup win at Magny-Cours on Saturday with Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella.
The #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 converts pole into a controlled victory, finishing about 2.5 seconds clear of Arthur Leclerc and Thomas Neubauer’s #50 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO after 33 laps.
Kobe Pauwels and Nicki Thiim complete the podium, underlining how track position at Magny-Cours rewards disciplined stint management and clean pit work.
Gounon and Juncadella convert pole to a flag-to-flag win at Magny-Cours.
The result follows a step up to the overall class after last year’s Gold class title, a move that has increased incident exposure and raised the execution bar.
Incidents beyond their control repeatedly obscure underlying pace.
At Misano, Juncadella is eliminated on lap one amid typical dive-bomb moves, before he and Gounon rebound to finish second in race two.
Magny-Cours suits that reset. With clean air from pole, the #3 manages pace, traffic, and regulation-mandated pit windows without error, denying the Ferrari a strategic undercut or late attack.
The #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 wins by roughly 2.5 seconds over the #50 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO.
Sunday brings a second qualifying session and race, offering Verstappen Racing a chance to compound momentum. The overall crown is unrealistic, but the Sprint Cup title remains a viable target.
In the standings, Juncadella holds second on 42.5 points, with Gounon fifth on 30.5. Leaders Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts sit on 49.5.
Sprint Cup standings: Juncadella P2 on 42.5; Gounon P5 on 30.5; leaders on 49.5.
This victory validates the package when unimpeded and re-centres confidence. Converting pole into a measured win establishes a platform for the remaining rounds and raises pressure on the championship leaders.
Visual Summary
🎉
Verstappen Racing breaks through for first win of 2026!
1st
Win of the Season
+2.5s
Margin Ahead
33
laps
laps
Led from Pole
Sprint Cup Standings
49.5
van der Linde/Weerts
42.5
Juncadella
30.5
Gounon
“After months of heartbreak, victory feels that much sweeter.”
From pole to flag, Verstappen Racing finally breaks the curse — and reignites the Sprint Cup title fight.
James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.
