LIVE - GTWC Portimao 3 Hours: Verstappen and Rossi ready for the challenge!

Good evening to all our Formula1.it readers, and welcome to this live text coverage of the GT World Challenge 3 Hours of Portimao. No fewer than 61 crews are ready to put on a show in a race where all eyes are on Max Verstappen, who, rather than enjoying the week off with his Formula 1 colleagues, will aim to achieve something significant aboard his No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. He will have to fight back from 15th on the grid. Joining the Dutchman is Valentino Rossi, who is forced to start from the back of the grid after an error in qualifying. Arthur Leclerc is also in action, starting fifth in the No. 50 Ferrari, while Formula 3 driver Nicola La Corte will start 10th in the No. 51 Ferrari. 

FOLLOW THE GTWC PORTIMAO 3 HOURS LIVE: NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE TRACK

19:35 - As the second and final round of driver changes approaches, the positions at the front remain unchanged, with the exception of Loake, who is going very well and has passed Stolz to move up to fourth. Lulham is sixth. 

19:05 - Barnicoat comes into the pits, with Lulham taking over from the Briton. Max Verstappen will get in during the final hour. The No. 3 car rejoins in seventh position. The top ten currently reads: Aron [Mercedes, No. 17], Boccolacci [Porsche No. 2], Feller [Porsche No. 80], Stolz [Mercedes No. 48] Loake [McLaren No. 59], Lulham [Mercedes No. 3], Drouet [Ford No. 64], Ebdrup [Ferrari, No. 71], Gunn [Aston Martin, No. 7], Cordeel [BMW No. 30]

19:02 - Picariello relinquishes the lead and comes into the pits. The BMW No. 46 also pits, bringing Valentino Rossi's GTWC stint to an end. 

19:01 - The pit stops begin!

19:00 - There are officially two hours remaining and the pit-lane shuffle for driver changes is about to begin. The top five currently consists of Picariello [Porsche No. 2] Preining [ Porsche No. 80], Gotz [ Mercedes No. 17], Maini [ Ford No. 64], Engel [ Mercedes No. 48]. Barnicoat's No. 3 Mercedes is eighth.

18:37 - Picariello continues to lead the field, followed by Preining and Gotz. We still do not know when the first driver changes will take place, or whether Max Verstappen will drive during this second phase of the race.

18:25 - Spin for the AF Corse No. 50 Ferrari: it is all to do again after dropping to 30th position. 

18:23 - After the problems at the start, Valentino Rossi appears to have resolved the issues with his No. 46 BMW, already climbing back to 58th position.  

18:20 - Green flag!

18:18 - A track slowdown has been called by the stewards: the cars may not exceed 80km/h. This procedure is called a Full Course Yellow (FCY)

18:16 - Yellow flag at Turn 4 following a spin for the No. 45 Ferrari driven by Medler.

18:07 - Picariello leads the field, less than a second ahead of Preining. The leading Ferrari, the No. 50, is fourth. The No. 71 driven by Birch is sixth. Barnicoat's No. 3 Mercedes is 11th.

18:04 - PROBLEMS FOR VALENTINO ROSSI'S NO. 46 CAR, which heads to the pits before returning to the track shortly afterwards. We do not yet know what happened, but his race has started with no shortage of difficulties. 

18:02 - Ben Barnicoat is already 12th; Valentino Rossi remains 60th. 

The Portimao 3 Hours is officially under way! A clean start, with no contact between the cars. The two Porsches retain the lead!

17:55 - The formation lap begins!

17:41 - Here are the drivers taking the start of the Portimao 3 Hours 

17:38 - Looking at the weather, the air temperature is around 25 degrees, with clear skies.

17:20 - There is not long to go before the race begins: Max Verstappen will only take the wheel of his Mercedes-AMG GT3 later on. Ben Barnicoat will start in the No. 3 car. The Briton will be joined at the start by Valentino Rossi [BWM] and Nicola La Corte [AF CORSE]