Formula 1 | Marko and Verstappen's late hours in the simulator: "Criticisms that are rubbish"

F1 Marko Verstappen – Max Verstappen's late hours in the simulator, even during race weekends, do not affect his performance at the wheel of the RB20, according to Helmut Marko.

After the many criticisms made by the press and fans after the last Hungarian Grand Prix, the Austrian wanted to vigorously defend the behavior of his pupil, specifying how the latter is perfectly capable of combining his activity as a driver to the one from simracer. Verstappen, we remember, between Saturday and Sunday on Hungarian soil remained in the simulator until 3am to compete in the virtual 24h of Spa.

Something approved by Red Bull, obviously, but which caused a lot of discussion at the end of the race, given the great nervousness shown by the three-time world champion during the 70 laps of the Hungaroring race. A situation that many believe could lead him to have less clarity in the excited moments of the GPs.

Marko responds to criticism of Verstappen's sleep

“The criticism of Max's late hours is rubbish. In Imola, for example, he went to bed even later and despite this he won the race, among other things after a good resistance on Norris. Verstappen has a different biorhythm than mine and that of many other people. The time he goes to bed and starts sleeping is not something extraordinary for him. He didn't wake up at 10 in the morning even in Zandvoort, when helicopters flew over his motorhome. He has reached his sleep quota as usual. I repeat, we are talking about criticism that is rubbish and makes no sense."