Max Verstappen triumphed at Imola and the virtual Nürburgring, while Lando Norris remains uninterested in sim racing during F1 weekends.
Max Verstappen clinched victory at the F1 Imola Grand Prix yesterday, as well as in the virtual 24 Hours of Nürburgring on iRacing with Team Redline. He acknowledged this as a first, having completed two stints in the video game with his teammates while never having competed in both formats simultaneously.
“Not in one day. And certainly not in virtual form either. But yes, it’s great. I mean, we prepared extensively for this as well. So I’m very happy with this result,” Verstappen stated, noting that he did stints “in the evening. Not at night. At night, I had to sleep.”
Verstappen revealed the weekend wasn’t more tiring than usual, except for the bumpy track at Imola: “To be honest, I’m just worn out from the bumps. My back, everything hurts.”
“It’s not so much the physical side of things, it’s just that it was so bumpy. After 20 laps, I could already feel my back. So I’m looking forward to lying down in bed. Maybe take some painkillers. And a massage, I don’t know.”
Norris was asked about the possibility of participating in such races, having often used his personal simulator in the past.
“We did the 24 hours of Spa!” Verstappen reminded before Norris replied.
“We’ve already won races together. I’ve done my part!” joked the McLaren driver, explaining he had “never tried. I don’t have a simulator in my motorhome. I still do it, but not as much as before. It’s more because I play golf. Max hates golf.”
“I’m not an old man!” Verstappen joked in response. Norris then explained that he might participate, as he doesn’t sleep much on Grand Prix weekends and doesn’t think it’s a major distraction for a driver.
Norris ‘Stepped Back’ from Racing Games
“I never sleep much anyway. I don’t think it would have a big impact. Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have done it. He didn’t drive too late. He did a few stints. He prepared, but it’s not a physical issue. It’s more mentally that it can take a toll. But I probably went to bed later than he did.”
“I went to bed at, I don’t know what time, 2 a.m. or something like that. I didn’t get my 10 or 8 hours of sleep, and I was watching golf, so I had a lot going on. I watched the Indy 500 qualifying, I had four screens running simultaneously. I have a full setup, but not a simulator setup.”
“It’s something I did in my youth. I think I paid the price for doing so much of it and not much else when I was young. My life revolved around car racing, simulator racing, and school when I had to go. And I didn’t do anything else. I never went out.”
“I didn’t do any of that when I was a kid. I never hung out with friends and that kind of stuff. I was a bit of a loner. Today, I’m making up for lost time, going out, doing other things, and enjoying it more than sim racing.”
“I think the way I grew up pulled me away from sim racing more than it did for Max, and maybe Max did the opposite. I still love it. I still enjoy it. I keep playing online and doing stuff with my friends online. I still love it, but it’s not something I thought of doing on a Saturday night.”
Verstappen Wins Virtually, Norris Dismisses Sim Racing. Verstappen Wins Virtually, Norris Dismisses Sim Racing
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