Purple Bull workforce principal Christian Horner says Max Verstappen is free to let off steam in different motorsport collection, however reaffirmed that the Dutchman’s “focus must be” on Method 1 following a secret take a look at on the Nurburgring final week.
Verstappen drove Emil Frey Racing’s Ferrari 296 GT3 automotive throughout a take a look at at Nurburgring’s Nordschleife at an official Nurburgring Endurance Sequence take a look at, and Verstappen snuck into the operating beneath the pseudonym of “Franz Hermann”.
The four-time world champion reportedly set a brand new lap report on the formidable circuit throughout his take a look at, which raised questions on his future ambitions to enter occasions such because the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
“He is so versatile and he is so captivated with all types of racing: sim racing, GT racing – he has his personal GT workforce, successfully,” Horner advised Sky Sports activities following first observe at this weekend’s Imola GP.
“He was very eager to run on the Nurburgring. It is one thing we have recognized about for fairly a while. He went there and did an unbelievable job and actually loved himself.
“It is what he loves doing and it could be very laborious to take that away from him.”
Max Verstappen, Emil Fray Racing Ferrari 496 GT3
Picture by: Max Verstappen
Up to now, F1 drivers repeatedly competed in different occasions throughout completely different collection. Lately Nico Hulkenberg gained the 2015 iteration of Le Mans 24 Hours and Fernando Alonso was even granted the chance to overlook the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix to be able to chase victory on the Indy 500.
However whereas Horner is completely satisfied for Verstappen to flex his muscle tissues in GT racers or different classes of motorsport, he drew the road at letting the Dutchman miss an F1 race.
“He isn’t going to overlook a race, that is for certain,” Horner added. “The main focus clearly must be right here on the day job. However I believe it is nice that he is so versatile. As Purple Bull, we have all the time been barely extra relaxed than maybe different groups by way of the liberty that we have given our drivers.
Learn Additionally:
“But it surely’s discovering that compromise, discovering that steadiness. Clearly, the precedence is right here. But it surely’s nice that he is embracing all types of motorsport.”
Because it stands, Verstappen is free to race the place he likes, and his look in a Ferrari at Nurburgring raised quite a lot of eyebrows within the paddock. Issues might change subsequent yr, nevertheless, when Ford comes onboard as technical companion at Purple Bull.
With America’s second-largest automaker on facet, Verstappen might discover that the optics of a Ford-backed driver racing in a Ferrari-powered automotive won’t gel too effectively with the American producer.
On this article
Owen Bellwood
Method 1
Max Verstappen
Purple Bull Racing
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information electronic mail updates on these subjects
Subscribe to information alerts
