Valentino Rossi gets new team-mate for GT World Challenge Europe finale
Valentino Rossi will have a new team-mate at BMW for the GTWCE finale
WRT has announced that MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi will have a new team-mate for this weekend’s GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimao.
This weekend’s GT World Challenge Europe round in Portugal marks the final event of the campaign and is an endurance race.
As such, each car will have three drivers in the line-up instead of two in the Sprint Cup rounds.
For 2026, nine-time grand prix motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi has been paired with Max Hesse in the Sprint Cup rounds, with Harper joining them for the endurance events on the calendar.
But WRT has announced that Neil Verhagen will step in alongside Rossi and Hesse for Portimao.
This weekend’s GTWCE round clashes with the penultimate FIA World Endurance Championship race of the season in Barcelona.
GTWCE moved its race to Saturday to avoid this clash, but it didn’t solve the problem for drivers who take part in both, such as Harper.
A brief statement from WRT read: “Due to a clash with the FIA WEC, Dan Harper will miss the final round of the GT World Challenge Europe at Portimão.
“Stepping in for him is his BMW M Motorsport and IMSA team-mate, and recently crowned GTD PRO Champion, Neil Verhagen.”
Who is Valentino Rossi’s new team-mate?
Neil Verhagen is a 25-year-old Gold-rated FIA driver from the United States of America.
He is twice a class winner at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring, including in 2026 in the BMW M3 Touring when he was fourth outright alongside Jens Klingman, Ugo de Wilde and Connor De Phillippi.
Verhagen made his GTWCE debut in 2022 with ROWE Racing BMW, finishing second at the Spa 12 Hours.
He was second again at Monza in 2023. He last competed in the series last year.
Verhagen also competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship with the Paul Miller Racing team in BMW machinery.
Competing in the GTD Pro category, he won the 24 Hours of Daytona alongside Dan Harper at the start of this season.
Three more podium finishes, including a third at the Petit Le Mans finale, was enough to secure Verhagen the IMSA title.
