Max Verstappen wants to continue taking part in sim races in the future – and fires back at his critics: No ban from the team for “private free time “
Red Bull won’t get its world champion slowed down that quickly – not even virtually: Max Verstappen hits back at his critics in the sim racing debate
On Thursday in Spa, the Dutchman could only laugh at the headlines that interpreted statements made by Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko in his Speedweek column to mean that Verstappen would be banned from taking part in virtual racing events during a Formula 1 weekend in future:
“There is no ban or anything like that. I don’t need to tell them what they do in their private free time at the weekend, and the same applies the other way round,” said the Dutchman, dismissing the speculation: “Racing until three in the morning is nothing new for me, and it’s something very important in my life.”
Red Bull can nevertheless be reassured: “We have talked about it. There is no other sim race coming up anyway, so nobody has to worry,” reveals Verstappen.
Verstappen: “I’ve won three world championships “
He still can’t take the criticism seriously: “It’s always the case that if you don’t win the race, then something is to blame: ‘Ah, he stays up until three in the morning or he’s a kilo overweight’. There are always things being invented that you can discuss when you don’t win.”
Verstappen clarifies: “When I won in Imola, for example, I won both races. I’ve been doing this since 2015, so it makes no difference to my preparation.”
In principle, the Red Bull superstar would like to have a little more confidence in his judgment: “I’ve won three world championships, so I think I know quite well what I should and shouldn’t do. I am always very hard on myself about what is allowed or not. So with all the experience I have in Formula 1, I think I know quite well what works. “
