Max Verstappen’s Post F1 Plan Begins to Take Shape as $421,000 Venture Signs “Exhilarating” Deal

After winning his 16th race this season at the Mexican GP, Max Verstappen has cemented his name as one of the all-time greats. With a racing pedigree behind him and his unbelievable work ethic, Verstappen is the perfect blueprint of what champions are made of. While other drivers spend their downtime partying and enjoying celebrity company, the Dutch Lion’s heart never really leaves the track. Verstappen has long been vocal about the helping hand sim racing with Team Redline has given him to gain an edge on the track.

When David Coulthard asked Verstappen what he does in his downtime, his answer was simple – “Sim Racing”. The 3-time world champion has been a part of Team Redline, an e-sports sim racing team. In a similar fashion to the on-track efforts of Max Verstappen, Team Redline has dominated the e-sports world, winning almost every major championship in 2023. What was a small group originally started in the year 2000, has come a long way, with a net worth of $421,000! The success story is continuing to unfold, with the announcement of Verstappen and Red Bull’s newest collaboration besides F1!

Max Verstappen and Team Redline take “logical progression” after dominant run

While Verstappen’s Team Redline was dominating the scene, the Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing team was always up there. And now, the Dutch Lion has become the catalyst to bring these two sim-racing giants together! The role that Team Redline will play in the collaboration revolves around performance management, whilst the Red Bull team will retain its existing drivers and content creators. Targeting the F1 eSports Pro Series, the new partnership will not only target e-racing success but also get to grips with real-world tracks!

The Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing team leader, Joe Soltysik, was quoted by Sports Illustrated, “Teaming up with one of the most accomplished outfits in sim racing history is an opportunity we’re thrilled to seize.” The pair is looking to turn the sim racing world upside down, combining Max Verstappen and Team Redline’s race-winning experience with Red Bull’s resources. He added, “I am exceptionally eager to explore the immense potential of our collaboration.” 

For a team with humble origins on early titles such as Colin McRae Rally, the call to work with a premier team such as Red Bull is the opportunity of a lifetime. Team Redline’s director, Atze Kerkohof, shared his excitement, “This marks an exhilarating new chapter for our team, having already cultivated a strong relationship with Red Bull through Verstappen.com Racing, this venture felt like the logical progression.”

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The team has previously collaborated with Verstappen on his project for sim racing, Verstappen.com. Their goal is  to help out the Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing team with their lineup.“Team Redline eagerly embraces this new challenge and is eager to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”  – the team scored the top 6 spots at the Formula E Visa Vegas eRace, in 2017 and is aiming to introduce the intricacies of sim-racing to a wider audience.

Does Max Verstappen’s F1 driving style translate to the virtual world?

The reason Max Verstappen achieves widespread success in both Formula 1 and virtual racing runs deeper than just talent. Verstappen possesses a unique ability to translate his track experience to the virtual world, the opposite of most sim racers.

In the real world, racers have all senses at their disposal. The tires screech when they lose grip, the car’s balance transitions through each corner, and the visibility is miles ahead. However, when we talk about sim racing, the drivers are limited to a handful of senses. The steering force feedback replicated a wheel accurately, but the haptics and motion just cannot mimic true g-forces. In such an environment, Verstappen excels because of his adaptability.

If one pays close attention to his sim racing videos, one can notice how he makes up for the lack of sensory inputs in the virtual world. The Dutch Lion has the engine volume dialed to the lowest while the tire sound is at its maximum. This allows the three-time champ to not just feel when the car is slipping through force feedback, but also using sound cues.

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While he races GT and LMP cars in the virtual world, his driving style remains similar to its real-life counterpart. He can assert himself on track even in a digital setup, which allows him to transition his approach on track to the sim beautifully!