A defiant Max Verstappen has dismissed solutions that he has been banned by Pink Bull from sim racing late at evening on F1 weekends, insisting he’ll proceed to take pleasure in a ardour that’s “essential” in his life.
Final weekend, the reigning world champion drew some undesirable consideration after collaborating within the iRacing Spa 24 Hours till 3am on the morning of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The controversy started after Verstappen completed fifth within the race on the Hungaroring, the place he appeared significantly irritable and annoyed along with his staff’s technique calls and the way his race unfolded.
The Dutchman’s efficiency inevitably got here below scrutiny, with followers suggesting that burning the midnight oil on his sim rig had left him disadvantaged of the mandatory sleep and relaxation required to race in the actual world.
Addressing the subject in his post-race editorial for Speedweek, Pink Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko recommended that Verstappen had agreed to chop again on late-night sim racing throughout race weekends.
“His late-night sim race on the Hungarian weekend solely took place as a result of a driver in his staff was cancelled,” wrote Marko. “Nonetheless, we’ve got agreed that he’ll now not drive sims so late in future.”
Verstappen, nevertheless, was fast to dismiss the notion of a ban.
“We talked about it,” he mentioned, talking at Spa on Thursday. “There is no such thing as a different sim race arising anyway, so nobody wants to fret about that.
“So no, it isn’t that I’ve a ban or no matter. I additionally needn’t inform them what they do of their personal time and in the course of the weekends, and that is the identical to me.
“Racing until 3am shouldn’t be one thing new and, for me, it is one thing essential in my life.”
Verstappen was pleased to level out that his sim racing passion has not hindered his efficiency, highlighting his victory on the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola after a late evening stint of iRacing.
“It is at all times when you do not win the race, [people] will at all times blame it on: ‘Ahh, he is staying up till 3am or he is being one kilo chubby,'” he mentioned.
“There are at all times issues to make up which you could argue about while you’re not profitable a race.
“However, for instance, in Imola I do win the race – each of them. I have been doing this since 2015. So for me, this isn’t one thing that’s any totally different in my preparation.
“I imply, I’ve received three world championships, I believe I do know fairly properly what I can and what I can not do. I am at all times very exhausting on myself, on what’s allowed and is not allowed, so I believe with all of the expertise that I’ve in Components 1, I do know fairly properly what is feasible.”
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