During the Grand Prix weekend in Hungary, Max Verstappen also participated in the virtual 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The Dutchman had to take the virtual wheel of Team Redline during the night. Critics question how much Verstappen’s nocturnal sim racing affected his frustrating race at the Hungaroring. However, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner dismiss these suggestions.
Although Verstappen was initially not expected to take the virtual wheel of the Team Redline car, the Dutchman ended up driving for three hours in the night from Saturday to Sunday. Verstappen’s team won the virtual Belgian race, but the race at Hungaroring was far less successful.
The Limburger did not hide his frustrations about the course of the F1 race, and clearly complained about the radio against his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. Critics therefore wonder if Verstappen’s nocturnal sim racing may have contributed to these frustrations.
Verstappen’s Unusual Sleep Rhythm
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko dismisses any suggestions of concern as utter nonsense. “I don’t remember what his bedtime was in Imola, but he stayed up even later and won the race,” the Austrian tells ORF. Marko is referring to the Grand Prix weekend in Imola, when Verstappen won both the Italian race and the virtual 24 hours of the Nurburgring.
“Max has a very different rhythm than I or normal people,” Marko continues. “And when he went to bed that night, there was nothing different than usual for him.” According to the Red Bull advisor, the Dutchman has long had an unusual sleep rhythm. “He didn’t even wake up in Zandvoort when the helicopters flew over his motorhome at ten o’clock. He got his usual amount of sleep and everything else is complete nonsense.”
Team boss Christian Horner also defends Verstappen’s decisions to go sim racing. “Max knows very well what it takes to drive a Grand Prix, to win a race and to become world champion,” says the Brit to the media. “We trust him in that.”
