Verstappen.com Racing, the official racing program of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, has announced its 2025 program and drivers. One of the most exciting initiatives is the transition of sim racing talent into real-world GT3 racing. Max has handpicked one of Team Redline’s top drivers, Chris Lulham, to make this significant leap.
Max, who is known to take his passion for racing very seriously, in 2022 established Verstappen.com Racing supported and powered by Red Bull, which nowadays competes in GT3 racing, rally and sim racing with a mix of experienced and emerging drivers on real and virtual racetracks.
Off track, Max continues to be driven and focused on building a foundation to support teams and drivers on their journey to success. Max highlights the next chapter in the Verstappen.com Racing project:
“It has always been my dream to support young drivers and for a while now, I have been trying to create the possibility of a sim driver to progress to real-world racing. With Chris Lulham, now being promoted from Team Redline sim racing to our GT3 Sprint and Endurance Racing, teaming up with Thierry Vermeulen, who has been competing for Verstappen.com Racing for a few years now, we take it to the next step.”
Verstappen adds: “We go racing all together, partnering with professional support teams in challenging championships. Of course, there is still a lot to learn to maximise our performance with the cars and drivers. The goal is to be competitive and fight in the top of the field. It is great that we now make it happen for a sim racer to take it up against established racing drivers. I am very excited for the year ahead!”
Chris Lulham said: “It is a really exciting prospect and I can’t wait to get started. We already had a very thorough and busy off-season preparing for what is coming. It is an unbelievable chance and I can’t wait to make the most out of this opportunity.”
Additionally, Verstappen.com Racing is set to launch a new division in 2025: Verstappen.com Racing Pro Simulation, a professional training facility for professional racing drivers. Equipped with two state-of-the-art 180-degree Simulator Domes - one for formula cars (F4 to F1) and one for GT racing - it offers a professional training environment.
With advanced data analysis, realistic simulation, and expert coaching, professional drivers prepare for race weekends, test days, and new racing categories. Supported by Verstappen.com Racing under the guidance of Atze Kerkhof, it sets a new standard in professional simulator training.
GT3 Racing Division
Thierry Vermeulen will continue this year with his racing programme in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup (GTWC Sprint), marking Thierry's third pursuit in the series, where he will be partnered by his new Verstappen.com Racing teammate, Chris Lulham. The pair will share the Emil Frey Racing run Ferrari 296 GT3 in the five rounds of the sprint championship, racing on some of the most iconic and historic circuits in Europe such as Brands Hatch GP and Zandvoort.
Thierry Vermeulen said: “I’m excited to work with Chris in the upcoming season and welcome him into the Verstappen.com Racing family.”
Verstappen.com Racing will, for the first time, support an entry into the highly competitive GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup (GTWC Endurance). Verstappen.com Racing will field two of its own drivers, Thierry Vermeulen and Chris Lulham, alongside the up-and-coming 24-year-old Harry King from the United Kingdom. The trio will share an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, run by the 2 Seas Motorsport team, across the five rounds of the highly anticipated GTWC Endurance championship, which includes flagship races such as the 24 Hours of Spa.
Harry King said: “Joining Verstappen.com Racing in GT World Challenge Endurance felt right. I’m delighted to be trusted by Max and his team to contribute to making this project a success. It’s a fantastic group of people that I look forward to working with this year.”
Chris Lulham elaborates on the sim versus real-world racing: “The experience is very different with so many people at a racetrack working to support you. In a simulator, you are by yourself, focusing on your own performance. It feels fantastic to have such a big team supporting you.
Driving a real car is physical, not super comparable in terms of the experience, but the technique is very similar. The main difference is, of course, the G-forces. The things I have learned with Team Redline over the past four years, we apply the same at the real racetrack. That for me has made the step very smooth. I would say it’s come very naturally.”
Lulham continues: “Max has been working side-by-side with Thierry and myself, developing and setting up the car. Both are very friendly with me and very cooperative and supportive. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. I am really thankful for the opportunities via Verstappen.com Racing.”
For the third year in succession, Thierry Vermeulen will compete in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), one of the world’s most prestigious touring car championships, consisting of ten rounds. The 22- year-old ambitious Dutch racing driver will continue racing in a Ferrari 296 GT3, run by the Swiss Emil Frey Racing team, under the support of Verstappen.com Racing.
Thierry Vermeulen said: “Having competed in DTM for the previous two years, I'm excited to be back in 2025. The experience from the past years will definitely help to improve my approach. We have worked hard over the winter to be fully ready. Emil Frey Racing has become a second family, we have a strong relationship and we will try to win more trophies together.”
Vermeulen continues: “With Verstappen.com Racing, Max plays a massive role. Not only as a personal friend but also as a coach and mentor of the whole project. With passing on his knowledge, he has helped me enormously. I am super excited to start racing again!”
Rally Division
As of 2022, Jos Verstappen represents the colours of Verstappen.com Racing in rally. The 53-year-old Dutchman will again be joined by his navigator Renaud Jamoul (40 years old from Belgium) in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 car, run by Wevers Sport. Jos is set to take on a full schedule this year, including the Belgian Rally Championship (BRC) and the European Rally Championship (ERC).
Jos Verstappen keeps challenging himself and says: “I’m glad I found rallying. It gives me a huge drive again and a clear goal. I love doing it, not just the driving, but also the communication with my co-driver. I think we have a very strong bond, we are both very driven and honest with one another. That’s important. This year, we have got about twenty rally events planned. We have an insanely beautiful programme.”
Team Redline – Sim Racing
Over the years, Team Redline has established itself as a leading force in the competitive esports racing scene. In 2024, Team Redline added to its impressive list of successes, claiming the ESL R1 Esports World Cup Championship, winning multiple Iracing Special Events, and securing the Indycar Iracing Pro Series title, among other accolades. Under the umbrella of Verstappen.com Racing, Team Redline continues to grow and thrive, benefitting from the support and guidance as it solidifies its status as one of the leading sim racing teams in the world.
Max, who is closely involved and every now and then joins a sim race, has laid his trust in Atze Kerkhof to run the Verstappen.com Racing sim division.
Atze, Team Principal of Team Redline, says: “Max takes the whole Team Redline under his wings. I find that very special about him: he is always willing to explain something to someone else, to go over the set-up, to push or motivate. That is a very special, good quality of his. We are very proud to represent Verstappen.com Racing in the virtual racing World and aim to expand our list of successes.”
These programs reflect Verstappen.com Racing’s commitment to developing talent and achieving success across multiple racing disciplines, acknowledges Max Verstappen: “We look forward to an exciting 2025 season and to seeing our drivers compete at the highest level.”