Max Verstappen, blending F1 dominance with sim racing thrills, reveals his motivation: pure enjoyment and a love for competition.
At the last Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen surprised or annoyed, depending on your perspective. In the middle of a Grand Prix weekend, he competed in another race—an endurance event, to be precise—on his simulator. In Saudi Arabia, he even took part in a race at 4 a.m.
A true “racer” as much as a “sim racer,” can Max Verstappen balance an F1 driver’s life with that of an almost-professional virtual racer?
“Honestly, it helps me stay sharp,” responds the man himself.
“In my opinion, you’re doing exactly the same as in F1. Of course, hitting a wall doesn’t hurt, but everything else—overtaking, defending, pit stops, strategy, and working on setups—there are so many similarities with sim racing. Naturally, I love winning in real life, but also in the virtual world.”
For Max Verstappen, sim racing also offers an advantage: it allows representation from all countries, whereas opportunities in F1 are inherently limited.
“If you look at the real world of racing, it’s mostly dominated by a few countries,” Verstappen explains. “With a competition like this, it doesn’t matter where you’re from. Everything is possible. That’s why it’s amazing to see all these countries represented. It gives you a chance to compete, no matter where you are in the world,” he adds.
Another advantage of online competition: it can also serve as a breeding ground for talent.
“That’s ultimately the goal: to find the next motorsport talent. This is what we’re all working towards together, and I really hope something positive will come from it in the future,” Verstappen emphasizes.
When he retires from the circuits—perhaps sooner than expected—could Max Verstappen, soon to become a father, find a second career in the virtual world?
More broadly, what motivates him to stay in F1? And what could one day lead him to retire from it?
“Enjoyment drives me forward. I really love what I do. Of course, I’m happy with the races we win at Red Bull and the championships, but in the end, what has to motivate you is being able to look in the mirror and say you’re still giving 100% and enjoying what you do,” Verstappen says.
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Max Verstappen Balances Formula 1 with Virtual Racing Max Verstappen Balances Formula 1 with Virtual Racing
