Aside from being one of F1’s greatest-ever drivers, Max Verstappen takes pride in the fact that he is one of the best in the virtual world as well. A dedicated sim racer, Verstappen has big plans to make it more mainstream, and he has led by example.
When not occupied with F1 duties, Verstappen spends hours away on his simulator, both streaming with his friends and also competing in prestigious events. Verstappen knows that he is good, and when asked in a conversation with Sport Bible in Las Vegas whether anyone else in F1 comes close to him in sim racing, he said no.
“I mean, I do drive a lot on the sim,” he said. “In terms of number of hours that I put in the sim, probably not,” Verstappen added, declaring his supremacy.
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The four-time world champion also has his own team, Verstappen.com racing, a venture he plans on using as a platform for up-and-coming sim-racing drivers who are looking to make it big in real-life motorsport. He’s also part of Team Redline, who take part in several virtual races worldwide.
Other F1 drivers also take part in sim racing events, and stream casually with their friends. But no one is as dedicated as Verstappen.
Verstappen’s plan of giving back to the community
The 27-year-old’s Verstappen.com will soon feature its own GT3 team, a huge step for those looking to make a mark in racing. Not many have thought this way before, but Verstappen truly believes that there is little separating sim-racers from real-life stars like him.
Have a look at Max Verstappen’s sim racing setup pic.twitter.com/Yu36uwMu5z
— Formula God (@formula1god) January 6, 2023
Per him, the only difference lies in the fact that F1 drivers are used to dealing with the physical aspect of the sport, dealing with G Forces and the extreme weather conditions.
Verstappen has mentioned that spending time on his simulator helps him stay sharp during F1 races. So, when he eventually decides to retire, it’s highly likely that he will dedicate more time to sim racing, both as a competitor and in a managerial capacity.