Max Verstappen, a dominant force in Formula 1 with a record 19 wins in 2023 and his fourth championship this season, is not only making headlines on real tracks but also championing the cause of sim racing.
In a world where technology continuously blurs the lines between virtual and real, Verstappen is at the forefront of promoting sim racing as a credible platform that can launch careers in real-world racing. Crowning Jernej Dovžan as the Heineken Player 0.0 champion, he talked with Sports Illustrated about how a sim racing career can turn into something in the real world.
Verstappen’s involvement in sim racing has been more than a mere hobby. Since 2014, he has been part of Team Redline, a leading sim racing team that has claimed numerous titles. His success is not confined to real-world circuits; he has also clinched victories in virtual races, including iRacing’s Nürburgring 24 Hours earlier this year.
“To be honest, I was already gaming as a kid,” Verstappen shares, tracing his journey from playing on controllers at the age of four or five to transitioning to simulators around 2008. “From there, the games have grown massively, and everything has become so much more accurate and precise.”
Max Verstappen passionately advocates for sim racing as a viable pathway to professional motorsports.
“That’s what we’re trying to stimulate more and more,” he explains. “Naturally, still kids grow up in go-karting and that’s the way forward. But I definitely want to try and stimulate the community also in sim racing, [so] that you can become a professional driver.” The advocacy stems from his understanding that sim racing offers a global platform, unlike the geographically constrained entry points of traditional racing avenues. “It really shows that it doesn’t matter where you’re from in the world, anything is possible.”
Highlighting the technical nuances between sim and actual racing, Verstappen points out the absence of physical G-forces in sim racing, which is a key distinction.
“Yeah, that’s the thing most people struggle with naturally,” he notes, “even if they’re a good sim racer, when they get in a real car, it’s the physicality of it. Plus the awareness that if I hit the wall, it’s going to hurt, where in sim racing that doesn’t happen.” Despite these differences, the mental acuity developed in sim racing can be invaluable, offering an alternate avenue for honing racecraft. The mental discipline required in sim racing complements the physical demands of traditional racing, making it an adept training ground.
For those aspiring to transition from sim racing to real tracks, the Dutchman has outlined the starting steps for someone wanting to take the next steps.
“First of all, you work out, you’re going to make sure that you’re fit,” he recommends. The progression parallels that of developing a career in real racing. From starting with basic gear to eventually joining a team, each step is about building ability and competitiveness. “It can start from being on the phone all the way to the first pedal and steering wheel you buy at the local shop,” Verstappen elaborates. “See how competitive you can get and if you’re just missing those final two, three-tenths, that’s where you can then update the gear to become even better.”
The Heineken Player 0.0 championship aligns with Verstappen’s vision of democratizing access to motorsport, a vision that dovetails with Heineken’s “When You Drive, Never Drink” campaign that fights for safe driving. Player 0.0 aims to elevate sim racing, offering participants from diverse backgrounds a shot at growing their sim racing career. But Max believes he can transform virtual victories into real-world opportunities. He is keen to nurture this transition, planning for a GT3 team, Verstappen.com Racing, which will act as a conduit for sim racers to step onto real-world tracks.
“It’s only a small portion of countries that make it to the top. And I really feel like at least we’re trying to create an opportunity for everyone out there,” he ended.
As technology continues to dismantle barriers, the future of racing evolves in exciting directions. Sim racers aspiring to make their mark in real racing circuits now have the opportunity to do so. The rise in popularity of sim racing events and their international reach suggests that the path from screen to tarmac is full of possibilities, inviting a new generation of heroes to take the wheel.
The post Max Verstappen Reveals How Sim Racing Can Launch Real Racing Careers as He Crowns Heineken Player 0.0 Champion appeared first on Newsweek.
