The world of motorsports has traditionally been associated with a substantial financial burden, with aspiring young drivers often needing to spend thousands of dollars to launch their karting careers. Max Verstappen, a four-time Formula One champion, is all too familiar with this reality, but he also believes that sim racing – a virtual form of car racing that closely mimics real-world racing – can help level the playing field.

At first glance, this idea might seem far-fetched, but the sport of sim racing has evolved significantly, offering a sophisticated and realistic experience that includes intricate setups and tire management, all without the hefty price tag. In fact, Verstappen, an avid sim racer himself, is convinced that the most talented virtual drivers deserve an opportunity to transition to real cars.

As he shared with The Athletic, Verstappen’s long-term goal is to establish a racing team that identifies and develops elite sim racers, providing them with a pathway to professional racing that bypasses the traditional financial hurdles. Although sim drivers may lack experience with the physical demands of racing, such as G-forces, Verstappen believes that with proper training and coaching, they can overcome this gap. He credits sim racing with improving his own driving skills, and vice versa.

Verstappen notes that many people underestimate the challenges of sim racing, saying, “Everyone always thinks that it’s just a game and it’s fun, easy going, but I would say the competition is just as tough, or even tougher, to win than in real life.”