“I want to win in whatever I do”: Max Verstappen says that he spends his free-time trying to get better at F1 sim racing

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Max Verstappen admits that he spends a lot of his free time trying new things out in F1 sim racing, in order to get better. 

2021 F1 World Champion Verstappen lives and breathes racing; not just in F1, but also in the virtual world. The Red Bull driver is not just an exceptional driver on track, but spends time off it, to get better at sim-racing.

In modern F1, drivers spend a lot of time on simulators in order to improve their racing skills. However, Verstappen spends his ‘spare-time’ with those simulators, just to improve himself in online racing.

The 24 year old is a part of  ‘Team Redline’ and is an active sim-racer for the e-sports outfit. In a recent interview, he spoke about how he spends his time on the simulator when he’s not in an F1 car.

“During F1 weekends when I jump out of my car, I would be on Discord texting the guys to keep me updated with set-ups and ideas to try,” said Max.

“It’s 40 or 50 hours of preparation before a 24h race because I want to win in whatever I do.”

Also read: Red Bull chief reveals how Max Verstappen transformed his personality since 2016

“Driving on the Simulator is different from driving an F1 car”-Max Verstappen on sim racing

Sim racing has been on the rise in terms of popularity over the last few years. F1 e-sports in particular has become an annual sim racing extravaganza, where the best virtual drivers compete in a series of races to determine who’s the best in the world.

Verstappen feels that he can learn a lot from sim-racing events. According to the Dutchman, racing other cars virtually teaches a lot of new skills that one cannot learn in an F1 car.

The Formula 1 Champion then admitted that he wants to go toe to toe with the best sim-racing drivers in the world. His fellow countryman Jarno Opmeer recently won his second consecutive F1 E-sports title earlier this month.

“For me it is interesting to compare myself with them. Because they are naturally fast on the sim, I am naturally fast in real life. On the simulator these guys are the benchmark and I have to push myself to that limit.” Max concluded.

Also read: Gerhard Berger predicts Max Verstappen is set to dominate Formula 1 this decade

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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