Max Verstappen, the current F1 champion, excels not only in real-world racing but also in sim racing. He often streams his gaming sessions on Twitch, engaging with fans, and competes for Team Redline, his professional sim racing team. Recently, he showcased his versatility by winning the iRacing Nürburgring 24 Hours and then triumphing at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix within just 97 minutes of each other.
While it’s well-known that Verstappen races for Red Bull, the leading team in Formula 1, it might surprise some that his sim racing team, Team Redline, is also highly professional, having won the Autosport Esports Team of the Year Award in 2022. Max has been balancing his dual roles as an F1 driver and sim racer since joining Team Redline in 2015. His recent feat of participating in a sim race and the Imola GP back-to-back has raised concerns. Eddie Jordan recently advised Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, to reconsider allowing Verstappen’s involvement in such demanding sim racing activities.
Verstappen is one of the highest-paid drivers in F1, earning $55 million a year from Red Bull after winning three titles. Despite this, he continues to engage in sim racing, which could potentially lead to burnout. Eddie Jordan suggested that Horner should intervene and focus on Max’s primary role in F1.
During the Imola Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen swiftly moved from a sim race to driving his Red Bull on the circuit within a few hours. On the “Formula for Success” podcast, Eddie Jordan commented that if he were in Horner’s position, he would have prohibited Max from participating in the sim race, emphasizing that Verstappen’s priority should be his commitments to Red Bull and its sponsors. Jordan believes that Max’s dual engagement in sim racing and F1 might cause concern among Red Bull’s sponsors, and Horner should consider curbing his sim racing to ensure his focus remains on his primary racing duties.
Christian Horner calls Verstappen a “racing machine”
While Eddie Jordan is concerned that Max Verstappen’s involvement in sim racing might impact his F1 career, Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, doesn’t share these worries. After Verstappen won a sim race and then competed in the Imola GP within hours, Horner addressed the issue by describing Max as a “racing machine.” He explained that it’s not unusual for Verstappen to experiment with different setups in his free time.
However, Red Bull’s operations aren’t solely directed by Horner. The team’s sponsors and other stakeholders also have a say. If they believe Max should concentrate exclusively on real-world racing, he might have to give up his sim racing activities. Alternatively, Verstappen could consider switching to a team more accepting of his dual interests.
This discussion gains more significance with rumors swirling about Verstappen’s potential departure from Red Bull in 2025, coinciding with the expected exit of Adrian Newey, the car design genius behind Verstappen’s three F1 titles. If Newey leaves, Verstappen might lose confidence in the team and consider moving elsewhere. Given this, Horner’s reluctance to intervene in Verstappen’s sim racing could be a strategic decision to keep him content with the team. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
