The increasing number of races on the F1 calendar might be good for business, but the hectic schedule is taking a heavy toll, even on the younger drivers. The toll is so high that even 26-year-old Max Verstappen is starting to feel the burn and experiencing age catching up to him.
Visiting the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan as part of Honda’s Thanks Day Event, the reigning world champion talked about the increasingly demanding schedule of F1. The Dutchman spoke of the contrast he feels between when he was 18 years old and now, as quoted in a report by F1 Maximaal.
Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.
Daniel Ricciardo today (03), alongside Yuki Tsunoda, Max Verstappen, Ayumu Iwasa and Sergio Perez in #HondaRacingThanksDay #HRTD2023. pic.twitter.com/AOdk5Tu6PW
— Ricciardo Photos | Fansite (@ricciardophotos) December 3, 2023
“I also like sim racing, but I just want to be in my living room, have some visitors every now and then, and have a good time, and recharge the battery. It’s always a long season, and the older you get, the more you feel that. When I was eighteen, I could do what I wanted, it didn’t matter.”
With the winter break heading the driver’s way till February, he will be back to training for the 2024 season in January. However, Verstappen claims that no amount of training can get him ready for racing, as once he gets back in the car, his neck still feels stiff. He stated, “The best training is still the racing itself.”
The F1 drivers go through a rigorous training regime involving intense weight training, especially for the necks. This is to ensure they can combat the high G-Forces when driving the car at insane speeds. Yet, Verstappen believes the off-season training is of little help.
Max Verstappen is hoping to let his hair loose during the breaks
An ‘aging’ Verstappen has already started to lay out plans for how we would want to spend the season breaks as and when they come. Living “out of his suitcase” for most of the year, the Dutchman would want to stay at home and spend time with his family and friends.
Not in favor of wanting to step out of the comfort of his home, the Red Bull driver claims he would love it if people were to come over and visit him.
0 furniture ✅ mini fridge with Red Bull in it ✅ a fuck off sign ✅ 4 monitors ✅ a high-end sim racing setup ✅ flipflops ✅
Max Verstappen everyone pic.twitter.com/lXrakpPEyo
— Verstappen News (@verstappenews) January 7, 2023
For the winter break, Verstappen would once again rather stay back home and spend time on his simulator rather than stepping out. The three-time champ firmly believes that weight training and hitting the gym do not help much in staying in shape for the races.
