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Max Verstappen should be allowed to sim race all night long

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Max Verstappen should be allowed to sim race all night long

As a long-time Formula One fan and someone who has followed Max Verstappen‘s career since his debut in 2015, I have seen him grow into a formidable racing talent with three world championships under his belt. His dedication to the sport is unquestionable, and his ability to perform at the highest level on race day speaks for itself.

As a dedicated gamer, just like Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, I find myself staying up later than I should, immersed in the captivating world of video games.

At 3 a.m., when most people are sleeping, I can be found engrossed in Minecraft, tinkering around and building structures. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen and his team, Redline, are testing their endurance in digital racing competitions as part of their esports crew.

As a dedicated Formula One fan, I couldn’t help but notice the tense exchanges between Max Verstappen and his team over the race radio during the Hungarian Grand Prix in July. The incident where he collided with Lewis Hamilton, resulting in a costly mistake that sent him soaring through the air, left many pundits and fans alike questioning if Max has failed to grow as a driver since the intense 2021 championship battle.

No, just kidding. They started asking if he’s cranky from gaming too late.

Max Verstappen should be allowed to sim race all night long

As a seasoned racing enthusiast and avid follower of Formula One, I can’t help but be impressed by Max Verstappen’s dedication to his craft. This past weekend was no exception, as news broke that he had pulled an all-nighter for iRacing’s 24 Hours of Spa event.

He expressed his disappointment to his race engineer, saying “It’s really disappointing how we’ve allowed things to go wrong and completely derail my race.” This covers a range of issues, including car handling and actions of other drivers.

As an avid follower and fan, I’ve noticed how commentators, particularly SkySports F1 team, kept emphasizing what they perceived as an issue during the race broadcast. However, it’s important to remember that sim racing is not an unfamiliar pastime for Max Verstappen. Contrary to popular belief, many Formula 1 drivers engage in this activity, but Verstappen takes it a step further – he does it semi-professionally and excels at it.

Last month in rFactor 2’s virtual 24-hour Le Mans race, he took the lead position but was frustrated when technical difficulties caused his team to withdraw. He voiced his displeasure towards the organizers, “This is either incredibly unfortunate luck or pure incompetence. I’ve been kicked off this race three times now! This isn’t even an event – it’s a circus.”

(You might notice that Verstappen’s blunt speech is not limited to when he’s been up till 3 a.m.)

After that, Verstappen has effectively adapted to iRacing. His late-night sim racing sessions paid off when he clinched victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March, and before securing an F1 triumph at Imola in May, he and Team Redline emerged victorious in the Nurburgring 24 Hours virtual race.

As a seasoned Formula One fan with years of following the sport, I’ve seen my fair share of controversy and drama. And this past weekend was no exception. The tension between Max Verstappen and other drivers reached new heights, and it unfortunately took on a new dimension when Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s advisor and driver development program head, weighed in through his blog on Speedweek.

He went on to write, “we have agreed that he will no longer be driving any simulations this late.”

In the same message, Marko conceded that the Red Bull car’s enhancements didn’t eliminate their significant speed disparity against McLaren… however, let’s move on from that topic for now.

In the F1 news circuit, it was reported that Max Verstappen was supposedly ordered to observe a “quiet time” rule and cease his late-night gaming activities.

The very next day Verstappen denied that he’d been given any kind of curfew or digital race ban.

At the press conference before the Belgian Grand Prix on Thursday, I shared that I have no business interfering with others’ weekend plans, just as they shouldn’t meddle in mine. This isn’t a novel concept for me; I’ve maintained this approach since 2015. Therefore, it doesn’t significantly alter my preparation process.

He remarked, “I’ve claimed victory in the world championships three times. I believe I have a good understanding of my capabilities and limitations.”

Max Verstappen should be allowed to sim race all night long

I’ve come to realize that the real issue isn’t gaming, but rather giving too much weight to Helmut Marko’s words. Marko is infamous for his outspokenness in the media, and there were even reports urging him to keep quiet during the investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, earlier this year. Marko has been known to make offensive comments about his own driver, fan the flames of internal conflicts within the team, and spread gossip about rivals – going as far as supporting Felipe Massa’s unsuccessful attempt to overturn the 2008 race that secured Lewis Hamilton the championship.

Basically, if there is an opportunity to stir the pot, Helmut Marko will take it.

Regarding the issue of excessive gaming affecting my work performance, I acknowledge that this is true for me. However, let me clarify that Verstappen, being a successful professional athlete with multiple championships, is competent in managing his leisure time. I have faith in his decision-making abilities regarding his pastimes.

In 2021, Lewis Hamilton dealt with criticism regarding his dedication to Formula 1 following his attendance at the Met Gala – Helmut Marko being one of his critics. However, Hamilton silenced his doubters by winning the subsequent race, demonstrating that a person can engage in various interests and still excel in F1 competition.

As a passionate fan, I strongly disagree with the prejudice against athletes engaging in gaming that is so evident in the NFL. This bias reached new heights when the Cardinals added a “study clause” to Kyler Murray’s contract, obliging him to dedicate four hours per week to studying football without the diversions of video games, TV, or browsing the internet. I find this attitude disrespectful towards professional athletes, and I certainly wouldn’t want Red Bull to adopt a similar mindset when it comes to Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver is deeply committed to racing, arguably more so than any other racer on the grid, and denying him access to his preferred pastimes seems both unfair and counterproductive.

In my opinion, the main problem is that Verstappen is encountering title battles for the first time since the disputed 2021 season. For the past two years, he has been driving the undisputed fastest car, which has allowed him to remain notably upbeat and collected over the radio as he effortlessly secures wins with substantial leads.

Based on my extensive experience following Formula One racing, I can tell you that this year, the Drivers’ Championship is being fiercely contested, with our beloved Max Verstappen currently holding the lead. However, his teammate Sergio Perez finds himself in seventh place in the standings, trailing behind both McLaren and Ferrari drivers. This disparity between their performances could be indicative of how the Red Bull car fares against its competition when driven by an average or less skilled driver. As someone who has been following this sport for decades, I have seen teams rise and fall based on the skill of their drivers and the competitiveness of their cars. It will be interesting to see if Perez can close the gap and potentially challenge the top teams with his driving prowess.

With very few mishaps left in the season, Verstappen is expected to secure the championship title. He currently holds a significant lead over Lando Norris, who isn’t the only contender vying for first place points. However, Verstappen no longer enjoys a ten-second advantage in every race.

It’s quite taxing to witness that! We observed Verstappen’s response to stress during his encounters with Norris at the British Grand Prix, and in Hungary when he made a mistake and collided with Hamilton.

Max Verstappen isn’t grouchy due to late-night gaming; instead, the fierce competition for victories in Formula 1 keeps him engaged, which is an exciting prospect for all racing enthusiasts.

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2024-07-29 20:20

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