Max Verstappen Pulls off an All-Nighter in the Virtual World Ahead of Saudi Arabian GP

Max Verstappen Pulls of an All-Nighter in the Virtual World Ahead of Saudi Arabian GP

Max Verstappen secured the pole position in Jeddah ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP and is widely expected to be the winner. Contrary to drivers wanting to get a good night’s sleep before a big race, Verstappen decided to stay up and play games till the morning. Some would call what Verstappen was doing, a part of his race preparation.

Verstappen was playing iRacing and streaming the same. Users on social media were baffled at the Dutchman, who also sounded sick to some. Nini, a user on X, pointed out that Verstappen sounds “like he has a cold”. 

He was playing the virtual racing game till 4 AM in the morning, which means he effectively pulled off an all-nighter. The Red Bull bosses will be hoping that the three-time world champion got at least a few hours of sleep before reporting to the paddock in the afternoon.

Verstappen, however, admitted previously that he uses sim-racing to prepare for races and stay sharp. So Verstappen could have been awake till the morning, warming up for the race in Jeddah.

Regardless, it doesn’t change the pre-race predictions. Verstappen is still expected to be the winner of the Saudi Arabian GP. Before the Bahrain GP too, Verstappen was playing games late into the night. Still, he dominated the opening round, winning by a 20+ second gap to second-placed Sergio Perez.

Max Verstappen’s first pole position in Saudi Arabia

The 2024 Saudi Arabian GP will be the fourth installment of the race in Jeddah. Verstappen lost on the pole in 2021 after colliding with the barriers on his final push lap, and it went to Lewis Hamilton instead. His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez got P1 in 2022 and 2023.

On Friday, however, Verstappen was unstoppable, and he put up a brilliant lap to secure P1. He will start ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in P2. Perez meanwhile, will start the race from P3.

Verstappen has won the Saudi Arabian GP once before, in 2022. That year, he put up a brilliant display, fighting neck to neck with Leclerc, in a battle for the ages. The next year, Perez won the outing, and Verstappen will be hoping for things to go his way again this year.

Post Edited By: Aishwary Gaonkar
Max Verstappen Red Bull Saudi Arabian GP

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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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