Max Verstappen lifts lid on life in lockdown as Red Bull star picks between F1 and esports
Max Verstappen is keeping himself busy by taking part in esports races.
Max Verstappen takes practice lap on the new Zandvoort Circuit
Max Verstappen admits he's not coping too badly with life in lockdown because he can still go racing in the world of esports. The Red Bull star was due to get his F1 title challenge underway back in March only for the coronavirus pandemic to see the brakes slammed on the start of the 2020 season.
The first 10 Grands Prix of the campaign have been called off and racing is now not set to resume until July's scheduled visit to Austria.
Verstappen will be hoping to keep his winning streak going at the Red Bull Ring having come out on top there in both of the past two seasons.
For the time being, though, he is keeping himself busy by competing online in a range of esports series.
Verstappen, who is experienced on platforms such as iRacing and rFactor, has thrived in the simulated races.
And he says he's enjoying taking part in them - even if he'd rather be going wheel-to-wheel with Lewis Hamilton and co. in the real world.
"Basically, I like to be at home, so I don't have any major problems with it," Verstappen said, during an appearance on Monday's edition of Sport and Talk from Hangar-7 on ServusTV.
"But I love racing, more than anything else in the world. Instead, I train intensively and spend a lot of time in my racing simulator, which is in my living room."
Verstappen's seamless transition from F1 star to esports phenomenon has earned him plenty of plaudits.
But he insists he's not as good in the racing rig at his Monaco apartment as he is behind the wheel of his Red Bull.
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"I'm better in the real Formula 1 car," Verstappen said. "I love balancing the car at the limit, and ultimately this racing feeling cannot be compared to the simulation. But of course I also hope that we can soon compete in the real racing world again."
Verstappen and his F1 rivals are now playing a waiting game to see how Chase Carey and his colleagues will piece together a 2020 schedule.
A double-header is planned for Austria, with a similar pair of races set to take place at Silverstone - the home of the British Grand Prix.
Carey outlined last week that he still hopes to put on a minimum of 15 Grands Prix before the end of the year.
But those plans may fall by the wayside if the coronavirus pandemic does not ease in the coming months.