Even when Max Verstappen is away from the physical tracks of F1, he is hardly away from racing as he spends most of his time playing sim racing. The three-time world champion is an avid eSports gamer who sometimes joins other streamers’ online streams. The Dutchman is also a member of the famous sim racing team known as ‘Team Redline.’
The Dutchman’s craze for sim racing extends to such an extent that there were once rumors of him installing a simulation rig on his private jet so he could get in some playtime while traveling. Having denied all rumors, Verstappen clarified he had a rig installed in his motorhome in the F1 paddock. While many might find Verstappen’s dedication inspirational, his partner, Kelly Piquet, now has to discipline the 26-year-old, as revealed in a report by TIME magazine.
“There have been times where I’ve been like, ‘OK, time to switch off.’ You have to give a gentle reminder that the sun is shining outside and, you know, there are other things to do.”
Meanwhile, Verstappen says that while he does spend time watching other sports, nothing fascinates him the way racing does. While the Dutchman has an exclusive setup that no one is allowed to even touch, it isn’t like he doesn’t consider other’s feelings, despite his feelings towards sim racing being a tad concerning for Piquet.
Sim racing ranks high in the life of Max Verstappen
Knowing full well his partner is not a fan of him spending so much time on the racing sim, Verstappen would not dare to put the rig in his bedroom, troubling Piquet’s sleep. As such, the Dutchman opted to place it in the living room so that he would disturb no one. He also once revealed that on race days, he keeps the living room doors closed and does not allow anyone within 10 meters of his setup, including Kelly Piquet’s daughter and the two cats they have.
Having undertaken additional responsibilities on the personal end, the Dutchman does not have a lot of time left for his sim racing shenanigans. However, Verstappen rarely leaves a chance to hop on the sim and get online with his buddies to engage in some often not-so-friendly sim racing.
