Verstappen Sim Racing claimed victory in the third round of the 2026 IMSA Esports Global Championship at Watkins Glen International, with Enzo Bonito and Sam Kuitert winning the GTP class in the #33 BMW M Hybrid V8. The 2-hour, 40-minute multiclass race, held on October 25 in iRacing, featured a dramatic late change of leadership after the leading Grid-and-Go Aston Martin Valkyrie suffered a technical problem. Meanwhile, Bleu Mercure Esport secured its second consecutive GTD victory with Vasilios Beletsiotis and Thibaud Prevot in the #132 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Both winning teams started third in their respective classes and relied on pit stop strategy, traffic management and fuel conservation to fight their way to the front. The race took place on the Boot configuration of Watkins Glen, where overtaking and navigating slower cars proved decisive. With two rounds remaining, the results have also reshaped the championship battle.
The GTP race began with Grid-and-Go.com eSports controlling the front row, placing its two Aston Martin Valkyrie entries ahead of the #33 Verstappen Sim Racing BMW. Bonito started third and kept the BMW within reach of the leaders, but the Aston Martins gained an advantage through their early pit stop strategies.
The #8 Aston Martin, shared by Jake Denehan and Sean Campbell, emerged as the leading contender after using an early stop to move ahead of its sister car. Verstappen Sim Racing followed a different approach, taking more fuel during its earlier stops to reduce the time needed at the final pit stop. Although the strategy helped Kuitert remain competitive, the #8 Aston Martin still held the advantage in the closing stages.
P☝️ for our #33 😍 https://t.co/08OFBMSHUH
— Verstappen Sim Racing (@VerstappenSim) October 25, 2026
With approximately 20 minutes remaining, Denehan experienced a computer-related problem that disconnected the leading Aston Martin from the race. Campbell managed to return to the session, but the team lost substantial time and eventually finished 16th in GTP, three laps behind the winner.
Kuitert inherited the lead and successfully completed the remaining laps, securing Verstappen Sim Racing’s first victory of the 2026 championship. The #33 BMW crossed the finish line 5.143 seconds ahead of the #7 Grid-and-Go Aston Martin driven by Isaac Phelps and Darius Andrei.
BMW M Verstappen Sim Racing also placed its sister #1 BMW, driven by Edoardo Leo and Chris Lulham, on the podium in third position. P1Sim Pro Team finished fourth with its Cadillac, while championship leaders Bleu Mercure Esport recovered to fifth after receiving a drive-through penalty for contact with a GTD competitor.
Bleu Mercure Secures Consecutive GTD Wins
In the GTD category, Bleu Mercure Esport continued its strong championship campaign with another victory for the #132 Porsche. Beletsiotis and Prevot started third on the grid and used a combination of fuel saving and strategic pit stops to move ahead of the pole-sitting #196 BS+TURNER BMW.
The Porsche established a useful advantage after the pit stops, but the final stint became increasingly challenging as Prevot needed to conserve fuel. BMW M Team MOUZ began closing the gap with its #171 BMW, driven by Maximilian Benecke and Moritz Löhner, setting up a close finish.
Prevot held on to take the victory by just 0.964 seconds, while the #196 BS+TURNER BMW of Daniel Lafuente and Oskari Rinne completed the GTD podium. The result gave Bleu Mercure Esport its second consecutive class victory following its success at Sebring, making the team the first repeat winner of the 2026 season.
💥 ONE CRASH. TWO PERSPECTIVES.
#IMSA #vcoesports #iRacing https://t.co/YTTDlomqjF
— VCO 🕹🏎 (@vcoesports) October 27, 2026
Following Watkins Glen, Bleu Mercure Esport continues to lead both championship categories. Its #31 Acura remains at the top of the GTP standings with 990 points, while the #132 Porsche leads GTD with 1,048 points. Verstappen Sim Racing’s victory moves the #33 BMW into fourth position in the GTP championship, keeping the team in contention with two races remaining.
The IMSA Esports Global Championship continues at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on November 8, before concluding with a four-hour race at Daytona International Speedway on November 22. Both rounds will be broadcast through IMSA and iRacing’s official channels.
Complete race results and championship standings are available in the official IMSA race report, while the VCO race summary provides additional details about the decisive moments.
See you on the track!
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