Verstappen was quite busy during the Imola race weekend, juggling between driving, public relations, and engineering tasks. Despite his packed schedule, he also participated in a top-level iRacing event at the Nurburgring with his Team Redline sim squad.
Even after securing pole position in Italy on Saturday, Verstappen committed to a three-hour stint on his simulator in the evening. He added another two hours on Sunday morning to contribute to his team’s victory in the event, racing with a BMW GT3 car.
Red Bull’s team principal, Horner, expressed no concerns about Verstappen’s serious approach to sim racing during a Formula 1 race weekend. Horner referred to Verstappen as a “racing machine,” highlighting his dedication and ability to perform well in both real and virtual races.
Verstappen faced significant pressure from McLaren’s Lando Norris in the later stages of the Imola race. Despite struggling to maintain temperature in his hard tires, Verstappen managed to keep Norris at bay while adhering to track limits after receiving three warnings earlier in the race.
Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, couldn’t match Verstappen’s performance, finishing eighth after starting from 11th on the grid. However, Verstappen’s strong performance marked a turnaround for Red Bull after a challenging start to the weekend.
On Friday, Red Bull encountered difficulties with the balance of their car during practice sessions. However, through extensive setup adjustments and analysis, they managed to improve the car’s performance significantly by the time of the race.
Horner emphasized the importance of the team’s collective effort and responsiveness in overcoming challenges. Despite initial setbacks, they were able to achieve a remarkable victory through teamwork and dedication.
