In its anniversary year, FORMULE 1 Magazine closely followed Max Verstappen on his global journey across 24 stops. Eight editors and three columnists share their most notable, personal memories of him in 2024. This time, it’s the turn of editor Matthijs Nijhuis.
If your name is Max Verstappen, racing runs in your veins. Whether he has to compete in the world’s premier racing class or in a virtual race on the simulator, the Dutch driver tackles every challenge with the same dedication. This season, I saw how Verstappen proved that even when things are shaky behind the scenes, he still stands head and shoulders above his challengers. It’s all the more remarkable that Verstappen, when he finds time to relax, prefers to master the virtual circuits. Along with his comrades from Team Redline, he participated in several simulator races last season, like a ‘normal’ 27-year-old boy – just for fun.
He was often criticized in the media for his simulator habits. For instance, during the race weekend in Hungary, he was active in the virtual 24 Hours of Spa until three in the morning. When he qualified behind both McLarens at the Hungaroring and only finished fifth in the race, many experts disapproved of his hobby. “I would have immediately banned him from racing,” exclaimed former team boss Eddie Jordan. In a column, Helmut Marko assured that Max’s nocturnal activities were being curtailed. Max Verstappen – always brutally honest – had his own thoughts on this.
“I’ve been doing this since 2015,” he responded. “Sim racing is very important in my life. I’ve won three titles, so I know what I’m doing.” There was no question of a ban on sim racing. “I don’t need to tell them what to do in their free time. The same applies to me.” Later, he mocked the alleged sim restrictions. In a livestream with Team Redline, Verstappen joked that he was no longer allowed to stay up late. “I’m tucked in at nine o’clock,” he said with a wink. When there’s no Red Bull PR team looking over his shoulder, it’s clear what Max’s priorities are – racing until he drops.
