Red Bull simulator a great tool to prepare Max

Published on 27 September 2014 by Stefan Meens

It is a busy autumn for Max Verstappen. Besides the remaining two FIA Formula 3 European Championship rounds at Imola and Hockenheim, and the F3 Macau Grand Prix in November, the Red Bull Junior has a busy schedule to prepare himself for his F1 debut season in 2015. In an exclusive interview with Verstappen.nl, Max relives the last few weeks.

First up, Max talks about a trip to Helsinki, Finland, half September. “In Finland they’ve tested my physical health and thankfully all is well. They scanned and screened me head to toes and the medical team were happy with my health and fitness.”

The Dutchman is working hard to remain in shape. “Personally I like to run to stay fit. In addition, Red Bull are providing me with training routines and exercises that are specifically tuned to my body. It’s stuff like stability and strength training.”

As much as the off-track preparation is vital for a professional racing driver, the best training remains actually driving a car. However, with the current test restrictions in Formula 1, Max spends a lot of time ‘driving’ in Red Bull’s own highly advanced simulator in the Milton Keynes factory.

“Thus far, I’ve driven the simulator in the Red Bull Technology Centre twice. You basically spend the whole day, from morning till evening, driving. The last time, we practised the Suzuka track, in preparation for free practice 1 at the Japanese Grand Prix. I’ve have to say it’s a tricky track to master”, reveals Max.

The simulator itself, manned by a handful of technical experts, is a complex machine that tries to recreate the on-track behaviour of the car via hydraulic cylinders. “It’s almost impossible to recreate the G-forces of a real racing car. However, acceleration, wheel spin, the feeling when turning a corner as well as the braking feel and force come close to driving a real car on a real track.”

The first real baptism of fire in a Formula 1 car took place on the tenth of September when Verstappen junior completed his first official test with his new team. In a 2012-spec Scuderia Toro Rosso racer, the STR7, Max took to the Adria International Raceway.

“If I compare the simulator to the actual on-track test, there are a lot of similarities. The steering wheel and buttons are the same so I was really able to get used to the controls. The biggest difference was probably the drivetrain and power unit as the simulator matched the 2014 regulations. Overall, the simulator provides me with a solid basis and I can’t wait until my next F1 outing!”