Nico Rosberg slams Max Verstappen for his 3am sim racing activities in Hungary

Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen.

Nico Rosberg made his disappointment clear over Max Verstappen’s sim racing activities in Hungary, comparing him to Lando Norris’ “professional” approach.

Just like he did back at Imola, Verstappen mixed the virtual and real racing worlds across the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he took part in not only Formula 1 action, but also the 24 Hours of Spa virtual event.

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Verstappen was competing all the way up to 3am ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, with his fiery approach on team radio during the race leading Sky F1 lead commentator David Croft to bring up the potential influence of that sim race on several occasions.

The fact that Verstappen was even doing that was “disappointing” for 2016 World Champion Rosberg, who revealed a chat he had with McLaren’s Lando Norris about his routine, comparing the pair and suggesting that Verstappen’s initial dominance of F1’s ground effect era was to blame for Verstappen’s less “professional” ways.

“I spoke to Lando last night and I was impressed actually, because he has learned how to become a more professional athlete,” said Rosberg, who served as a Sky F1 pundit in Hungary.

“Like when he started F1, especially against Daniel Ricciardo, he wasn’t really trying to be perfect as an athlete.

“And yet now this weekend, for example, so last night, his bedtime was 1105, not 1100, 05, wake up was 0805, breakfast was already set, like exactly what to eat, so hyper professional, which was nice to know.

“And at the same time, in contrast, you had Verstappen, who until 3am last night was sim racing. You know, that’s a bit disappointing, isn’t it? It just shows that he’s too used to his ease of domination.”

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Fellow Sky F1 pundit Naomi Schiff said Verstappen “needs to be putting in the hard work” with Norris not quite yet out of the Drivers’ Championship hunt considering McLaren’s dominant performance in Hungary, which saw Oscar Piastri head a one-two finish.

With Verstappen managing only P5 – having tangled with Lewis Hamilton in pursuit of the final podium spot – Norris trimmed Verstappen’s lead to 76 points and Schiff believes Norris’ chase does apply some degree of pressure upon Verstappen.

“He needs to be putting in the hard work,” said Schiff, “I mean, Max is in an advantageous position, because he is ahead, whereas Lando is going to have to do all the chasing.

“But that is going to put some level of pressure on Max. I mean, if they keep having weekends where…clearly this weekend, McLaren has been the team to beat, both cars are ahead and justifiably, they have clear cut pace more than the Red Bulls.

“So if that continues in that direction, Max is going to have to be putting in the hard work that he hasn’t had to really put in the last few years, because they’ve been so dominant.”

Red Bull are under more immediate threat in the Constructors’ Championship, with McLaren now only 51 points behind.

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