Max Verstappen has spoken about his sim racing weekend prior to the Belgian Grand Prix.
After his late night sim racing became a topic of intense debate during the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has set the record straight: He has not been banned from sim racing.
Speaking to media ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen has flatly denied that he has been banned from sim racing — and he also notes that his free time should not play a factor in his racing performance.
Max Verstappen: ‘It’s not that I have a ban’
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
It is widely known that Verstappen has a deep passion for sim racing, and in multiple instances during the F1 2024 season, it has been publicly acknowledged that he has actively participated in 24-hour sim races while grand prix weekends were in progress.
Nevertheless, this hobby has stirred up controversy during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, leading some to speculate that it might be the reason behind Verstappen’s race loss and his irritable behavior on the radio.
Verstappen refuted accusations that his late-night sim racing caused any problems in Hungary, while addressing the gathered media, including PlanetF1.com, prior to the Belgian Grand Prix.
He expressed, “I raced until 3am. It’s not a novel experience, but rather a significant aspect of my life.”
There are currently no upcoming sim races, so there is no need for anyone to be concerned about it.
In addition, Verstappen firmly dismissed any notion that the challenging race was a consequence of sim racing, addressing the concerns raised on this matter.
He stated that whenever someone doesn’t win the race, they tend to attribute it to factors like staying up until 3am or being one kilo overweight.
“When you don’t win a race, there are always things you can find to argue about and make up excuses for.”
“But, for instance, in Imola, I emerged victorious in both races.”
This is not a new experience for me, as I have been engaged in this since 2015. My approach and preparation remain unchanged.
Having won three World Championships, I have a thorough understanding of my abilities and limitations. I am constantly critical of myself and adhere strictly to what is permissible and what is not.
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Earlier this week, rumors circulated that Verstappen had been explicitly banned from sim racing during grand prix weekends. However, he denied that Helmut Marko had issued any bans.
“We talked about it,” Verstappen said of Marko. “I said, anyway, you don’t need to worry. Like I said, there’s no other racing coming up.
I don’t have a ban or anything like that.
Further, Verstappen added, “I also don’t need to tell them what they do in their private time during the weekends, and that’s the same thing.”
Those are powerful words coming from the three-time champion.
Verstappen faces a challenging task ahead in Belgium, as recent reports suggest he might be required to replace his power unit. This decision would result in a 10-place grid penalty for the Red Bull driver, adding to the difficulty of the anticipated rainy race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
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