Max Verstappen can still race on the simulator at night: “We haven’t banned it, but it’s a strong recommendation”
“Not banned, but strongly discouraged”: this sums up the words of Helmut Marko, the renowned Red Bull advisor, regarding Max Verstappen’s nighttime SimRacing sessions. The world champion has always been passionate about virtual racing, even thinking about it during Formula 1 race weekends.
The Incident in Hungary
The Dutch driver participated in a 24-hour SimRacing race at Spa, staying up until 3 AM on Sunday, the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix. This race concluded with a particularly irritable Max Verstappen. Initially, Marko stated that this behavior would lead to a “ban” on the number 1 participating in late-night SimRacing during Grand Prix weekends, a claim the driver has denied.
Marko later revised his stance, explaining to Sky Sports Germany: “We’ve agreed that in the future, he won’t drive past midnight, even though he has a completely different rhythm of life. But still, situations like this, which are understandably criticized publicly, need to be avoided.”.
However, the Austrian clarified that it won’t be a strict ban: “We haven’t prohibited it. It’s a very strong recommendation“, he ended.
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing