Verstappen Defends Himself From Speculations Suggesting Sim Racing Affected His Performance

Friday, 26 July 2024 at 21:03

Max Verstappen addressed the big topic—his late-night sim racing session ahead of the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix and an outlined ban.

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen was hit with a massive wave of criticism following the Hungarian Grand Prix (where he finished in P5) for participating in an online race until as late as 3 AM ahead of the race.

It is proven that lack of sleep affects people's moods and performance, so there was little the Dutchman could do to defend himself.

Helmut Marko then suggested he talked to the 26-year-old and he wouldn't take part in online races so late in the night anymore, which some understood as Verstappen receiving a sim racing ban from Red Bull.

Speaking to the media ahead of the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, the triple World Champion clarified there is no bad or anything like that.

"Yeah, I raced until 3 AM. It is not something new for me, and it is very important in my life. We talked about it, and I said: 'You don't need to worry; there is no other race coming up,' but it is not that I have a ban or whatever."

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"I also don't need to tell them what they do in their private time during the weekend, and that is the same for me."

Verstappen then brought up proof in the form of three World Championship titles, which back the fact that he knows what is best for him.

"I've won three world championships, I think I know pretty well what I can and cannot do, and I am always very hard on myself on what is and what isn't allowed with all the experience that I have in Formula 1."

In the end, the 26-year-old added he wouldn't have to explain himself if he won the race- like he did at Imola Circuit, because it is only when he loses that people start searching for reasons why it happened.

"It is always if you don't win the race, you will always blame it on 'ah, you staying up until 3 AM,' always being one kilo overweight. There are always things to make up and argue about when you are not winning races."

"But at Imola, I did win the race, both of them, so for me, this is not something new. I have been doing this since 2015, so it is not something that is any different in my preparation."