Verstappen's Aversion to the Gym and Diet Balance

Max Verstappen shares his aversion to the gym and unique diet approach, balancing fitness with minimal workouts.

Verstappen “hates going to the gym” and would be “destroyed” if he played soccer. He enjoys eating… but not too much, of course. “I hate going to the gym and working out.” This confession is very much in line with Max Verstappen’s personality: direct, candid, no beating around the bush.

Max Verstappen hates going to the gym, but it’s necessary. The Milton Keynes driver thus complies, without his disdain for pull-ups affecting his performance and stamina on the track in any way, of course.

“I know I have to do it like everyone else, but I hate going to the gym, so I do everything at home and try to make things a bit more fun.”

“We don’t need a lot of muscle mass in F1.”

“Most mornings, I wake up, walk to the balcony, and do whatever I need to do. It’s not about lifting weights, as we are subject to weight restrictions and thus cannot put on a lot of muscle mass. I have to find the right balance between a lot of cardio and a bit of weightlifting, but for me, it’s mostly about doing more repetitions of the same exercises.”

Max Verstappen also hates carrying too much technology with him: he runs with ‘nothing’ when jogging. No, the Dutchman doesn’t run naked through the quiet streets of Monaco, but rather without an Apple Watch or anything…

“I never wear anything while running. When you start to feel tired, you look at your watch and it shows your heart rate, but I just think I don’t want to see that. It’s just annoying because you’re already struggling. I prefer to run and listen to my body, to know what’s going on and how I feel.”

Does an F1 driver need to be as fit as athletes from other disciplines? It’s often said (and often wrongly) that F1 is less physical than other sports… but could Max Verstappen reignite the debate with the following comments?

“Everyone is just fit according to their own sport. For example, if I play a soccer match for 90 minutes, I’m completely destroyed because it’s a different sport in terms of demands – and my muscles aren’t used to that. If a soccer player took part in an F1 race, they would also be completely destroyed. It’s just the way you train your body for what you need.”

In the paddock, who would be the fittest, most in-shape driver, physically?

“Definitely not me. I don’t want to be a marathon runner or a triathlete – I’ve told my trainer that I don’t want to be like that. As for other sports, I don’t really have other hobbies because I know I’m not very good at them, so I’m not really interested. Instead, I train especially hard in January and February – that’s during the off-season when you really build up your fitness.”

Max Verstappen, a bon vivant driver?

Nutrition is another important aspect for an F1 driver to stay in shape. But can Max Verstappen afford a treat now and then?

“I do like to have a drink here and there when it’s possible.”

“Having a good meal is sometimes a chance to relax a bit… But I’m one of the heavier drivers, so I can’t eat like the others. If I really want to, I can easily gain 10 kilos. That’s just how my body is built. But in a way, it’s also a good thing, because I don’t need to do a lot of exercise to get back to my normal shape.”

Verstappen’s Aversion to the Gym and Diet Balance. Verstappen’s Aversion to the Gym and Diet Balance