Long gone are the days of week-long test programs Formula 1 teams used to run mid-season back in the 90s and 2000s. To harbor a more competitive spirit amongst the teams, this isn’t just allowed anymore. Other than the pre-season tests, which incidentally begin tomorrow for the 2023 season at Sakhir, no team is allowed to conduct a bona fide private test session during any point of the calendar year. Financially, this makes sense for the smaller teams to not lose any ground to the big three. However, what about the drivers? The lesser the running, the more time they need to adapt. But thanks to technological advancements, drivers like Max Verstappen can wrack up the miles without even having to be strapped into a real F1 car.

The 2x champion is one amongst a gaggle of racing drivers who are into sim racing. What this does is that it allows the drivers to sharpen up their road skills while having the comfort of not breaking a single sweat on track. But this is only possible with the best-in-class machinery, and Verstappen’s got it all.

According to South China Morning Post, the Dutch lion has an elite sim-racing set-up that costs a whopping $35k. That being said, for Verstappen himself, this helps him in more than just nailing apexes.

De Telegraaf quoted the 25-year-old as saying, “I myself started with real racing, but I now also see in my own sim racing team that many guys never got a chance or even sat in a real racing car. While they are very good at what they do. It’s important that we get started now because I feel like no one is really doing it this way. There are many opportunities for us,” explained Verstappen.

But sim-racing is more than just a practice run for the Dutchman. “It goes much further indeed,” said the defending champion while talking about his newly installed sim rig in his motorhome. ‘Then I can always keep busy, even during the Formula 1 weekends. And I may now be able to stay in bed a little longer in the morning, but it’s mainly about privacy.”

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On the subject of sim racing. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Verstappen share a very strong relationship. Still, a $16 million confusion recently led the Dutch lion to call his mentor out!

Max Verstappen corrects the absurd sim-racing rumor spread by Helmut Marko

Red Bull‘s Helmut Marko has a reputation for saying controversial things. However, earlier this year the Austrian came out with the bizarre claim that Verstappen had installed a bespoke simulator in his $16 million private jet. But Verstappen was quick to cover up for Marko’s claims, which he called absurd.

Speaking to reporters after Red Bull’s livery launch, Verstappen said, “I said I will install one (a simulator rig) there [motorhome] because I just can keep on driving when I’m back in the evening because I like it. It’s my hobby in a way. It just keeps you sharp as well,” quoted by Reuters.

“I think he [Helmut Marko] misunderstood and he said plane. So no, I’m not installing one in my plane. I think that would be a bit absurd,” clarified the Red Bull maestro.

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Will this addition to Verstappen’s 2023 armory help him overcome the deficit Red Bull have been handed by the FIA to maintain his championship-winning streak?