Max Verstappen at odds with Helmut Marko over Red Bull ‘ban’ ahead of Belgian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen's off-track habits have been the centre of attention ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen has brushed off the idea of a sim-racing ban from his employers at Red Bull, despite Helmut Marko suggesting that an agreement was in place after the drama in Hungary.
The three-time world champion stayed up until the early hours of the morning before the Hungarian Grand Prix, taking part in a sim-racing endurance event with his team.
This attracted plenty of criticism during and after the race with many pundits and onlookers, including Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft, suggesting that a lack of sleep may have been a factor in Verstappen's overly-agitated radio communications.
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After an internal review, Helmut Marko told Speedweek: "Max Verstappen was rather thin-skinned this weekend, and of course, it didn’t take long for criticism to arise – no wonder, given that he spends half the night playing sim racing.
“I have to say this: In Imola, he didn’t go to bed until three o’clock in the morning after a sim racing session – and then won the Grand Prix. Max has a different sleep rhythm and he had his seven hours of sleep.
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“I have to say this: In Imola, he didn’t go to bed until three o’clock in the morning after a sim racing session – and then won the Grand Prix. Max has a different sleep rhythm and he had his seven hours of sleep.
This, however, is not how Verstappen sees the situation. "Yeah, I raced until 3am, it is not something new for me and it is very important in my life," he explained in Belgium on Thursday.
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"We talked about it and I said: 'You don't need to worry, there is no other race coming up', but it is not that I have a ban or whatever. I also don't need to tell them what they do in their private time during the weekend, and that is the same for me."
"I've won three world championships, I think I know pretty well what I can and cannot do, and I am always very hard on myself on what is and what isn't allowed with all the experience that I have in Formula One."
