F1 fans ‘would be surprised’ by Max Verstappen’s simulator use compared to Lando Norris

Max Verstappen arrives at the Qatar Grand Prix with the Formula 1 world championship already sealed. He secured the title at the Las Vegas GP by finishing ahead of Lando Norris.

Norris needed to outscore Verstappen by at least three points to extend the title fight to the penultimate race in Qatar. But on a weekend where neither driver had the pace to win or even finish on the podium, the Red Bull superstar was able to take P5, one spot ahead of his sole remaining challenger.

There are a multitude of reasons why Verstappen has beaten Norris this year. The biggest is that he started the year with a dominant car, enabling him to win four of the first five races.

While McLaren have arguably been the fastest, on average, since Miami, Norris has rarely enjoyed clear daylight over the chasing pack. Indeed, no driver has won consecutive races since Verstappen went back-to-back in Canada and Spain.

But while Norris was always an outsider, he probably had a car good enough to take the fight to Abu Dhabi (i.e. close the gap to 26 at most). Both driver and team have been actively learning what it takes to win a championship.

Verstappen came into the year with three titles under his belt and knew exactly what was required. He endured a 10-race victory drought but maximised his car’s realistic potential in almost all of those events, displaying the kind of ruthless consistency his rival has lacked.

Guenther Steiner believes Max Verstappen logs more simulator time than Lando Norris

Verstappen is one of the most naturally talented drivers in F1 history and he already ranks third all-time for total race wins with 62. Despite that, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner believes he spends more time practicing than Norris and Charles Leclerc – the duo directly beneath him in the standings.

Speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, Steiner pointed out that Verstappen is an enthusiastic sim racer who can log plenty of laps on his home rig. Norris and Leclerc may only be racking up virtual miles at their team’s factories.

“If you compare the time Max spends on the simulator, and what Charles or Lando spends on the simulator, I think we would be surprised,” he said. “I don’t know the number, but I’m pretty sure we’d be surprised that Max is doing more.”

At times, Verstappen’s passion for sim racing has created negative headlines. Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko says he agreed to stop competing in late-night events during race weekends after staying up until the early hours before the Emilia Romagna GP.

How Lando Norris has changed his lifestyle to defeat Max Verstappen

Norris’ immediate goal will be to deliver McLaren’s first constructors’ title of the 21st century, in tandem with Oscar Piastri. They have a slender 24-point lead over Ferrari with two races and one Sprint left.

But over the winter, he knows he must develop into a championship-ready driver. Should McLaren hold off Ferrari, many will argue he’s best-placed for 2025.

Jenson Button says Norris must study footage of his battles with Verstappen. He needs to nullify the Dutchman’s ultra-aggressive defensive driving.

The 24-year-old has already made changes to his lifestyle to improve his focus before his race. Norris has stopped gaming at Grands Prix, aiding his quality of sleep.