The clock had ticked past midnight in Imola. The paddock was asleep — except for one driver. While others rested after Saturday’s qualifying, Max Verstappen booted up his racing simulator, ready to compete in a virtual endurance race on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. It wasn’t just for fun. It was pure passion. Competing, even after securing P2 for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, is simply what he does.
Under his well-known alias “Franz Hermann”, Max didn’t just participate — he flew. He set the fastest lap by a full second, an eternity on such a technical and long track. Anyone familiar with sim racing knows that kind of margin is nothing short of astonishing.
But the most impressive part came the following day.
Sunday: Real Track, Real Victory
On Sunday, it was time to race for real. Same focus. Same hunger. Starting from second place, Verstappen drove like the track was still made of pixels. He won the Imola Grand Prix and set the fastest lap of the race. It marked his 65th Formula 1 career victory — yet another demonstration that his dominance transcends realities.
Sim Racing as a Secret Weapon
This wasn’t the first time he’s done this. Back in 2024, Max also balanced an F1 race weekend in Imola with a virtual endurance event on the Nordschleife. That year, just like now, he won both races. Some might call it a coincidence, but fans who follow him closely know better.
Max uses iRacing and sim racing as a secret weapon. It’s not just technical practice: it’s mental conditioning. It’s rhythm. It’s precision under pressure. While others unwind on yachts, Max is sharpening his reflexes, exploring limits, living out laps that haven’t happened yet — but already exist in his mind.
F1 drivers simulators:
- Lando Norris
- Charles Leclerc
- George Rusell
- Carlos Sainz
- Checo Perez
- Fernando Alonso
- Antonio Giovinazzi
- Max Verstappen
- Oscar Piastri
- Liam Lawson
More Than Talent
What’s truly inspiring about Verstappen is that he doesn’t do this out of obligation. No contract forces him to fire up his simulator after a long day. He does it because he loves it.
Watching him dominate on the real track and in the virtual world is more than a show — it’s a reminder that excellence is not a destination, it’s a habit. Max Verstappen lives every lap — real or virtual — as if it were his last.
And while some still question whether sim racing truly benefits elite drivers, Max just keeps on winning. On any track. In any format.
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