Max Verstappen is on a different level right now, and that’s true whether you’re watching him on a real F1 grid or behind a racing simulator. Last week, he set the fastest lap time at the Nürburgring GP in an iRacing special event, and then followed it up by winning the actual Formula 1 Grand Prix at Imola for his 65th career victory.

It doesn't matter if Max is in a sim rig or a Formula 1 car - he's cooking either way!

🎮 Max's Impressive Stints at Nürburgring

During a community time attack challenge in iRacing, Verstappen jumped into the Nürburgring GP layout and laid down the fastest lap of the entire session. This wasn’t a one-off promotional stunt; he’s been grinding sim laps for years, and it shows. He ran clean, fast, and consistent, outpacing plenty of top-tier sim drivers in the process.

It's worth noting he wasn't using a massively modded setup or dev tools, just pure driving talent and clean execution. He also posted a short onboard, and yeah, it’s smooth as hell.

🏁 Then He Went and Won Imola

Just after his Nürburgring sim flex, Verstappen took to the real-world tarmac at Imola and drove a masterclass. He led most of the weekend, controlled the race from the front, and crossed the finish line for his 65th F1 win, putting him past Ayrton Senna on the all-time list. Not bad for a 27-year-old still in his peak.

The contrast between the two performances says a lot. He wasn’t doing sim stuff just to stay sharp. He was competing in both worlds and dominating in both.

Keep in mind - his girlfriend also just gave birth to Verstappen's first child. So Max is now doing all of this as a dad!

Why This Matters (for Sim Racers)

• It legitimizes the sim → real crossover again
• It proves how sim racing still sharpens reflexes, muscle memory, and racecraft even for F1-level talent
• It’s inspiring to see one of the best racers in history still spend time in the rig, not just the paddock

If you ever feel like your sim grind isn’t "real racing," just remember the reigning F1 champ still puts in serious laps on iRacing mid-season.

Final Thoughts

Max Verstappen doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, but he still shows up and dominates in every racing space he enters. If you’re serious about getting faster, sim or otherwise, take notes. This isn’t a side hobby for him. It’s part of the process.

And if he posts more onboard clips this week, you already know we’ll be breaking them down.