F1 racers make their mark in the gaming arena

Given the high-octane nature of Formula 1 racing, it is little wonder that the drivers need to use other outlets to feed their competitive desires.

Online gaming has become a vehicle used by several top F1 stars in recent years, with Max Verstappen undoubtedly the most noteworthy. According to ExpressVPN, the three-time world champion has made a significant impact in the digital football world.
Read on as we look at Verstappen’s gaming exploits before assessing how some of his F1 rivals have also gravitated towards the same sector.

Verstappen’s prowess in the FIFA series of games resulted in him ranking 31st in the global rankings in FIFA Ultimate Team game mode in 2018. He rose to 21st position in 2019 – no mean feat given how many people purchase the iconic game each year.

His passion for FIFA came to the fore again in 2021 when Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted that his number one driver had spent around 14 hours playing the game at the United States Grand Prix. Verstappen was unaffected by the marathon session, claiming victory in the race ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

The 26-year-old has continued to fuel his gaming passion this season by indulging in lengthy sessions with his own sim racing team. A video clip of him racing with Team Redline in the early hours of the morning before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix recently went viral and sparked plenty of questions from the media.

Verstappen was online until 4.00 am, yet still managed to win at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit without breaking a sweat. When asked about the footage in his post-race press conference, Verstappen explained why he had not gone to bed earlier.

“I stay on European or even UK schedule, so I go to bed at like 4 am,” Verstappen said. “I wake up late. Also, I have my own sim team, so naturally, I'm just catching up with them a bit. It’s just unwinding as well - I don’t have a rig here, I’m driving on my controller.

While Verstappen has established a monopoly on the F1 Drivers’ Championship, he has plenty of competition in the gaming arena across the rest of the grid.

British stars Lando Norris and George Russell are both active on the gaming circuit, with the pair transferring their racing skills into eSports. However, they have each taken a different approach to their involvement in the professional gaming scene.

Norris founded his own eSports organisation in 2020, establishing Quadrant as a gaming, lifestyle, content and apparel brand. The organisation has fielded teams in Cally of Duty, Halo and Rocket League competitions, and has ambitions to expand the scope of its horizons.

The 24-year-old’s passion for gaming has led to him garnering 1.6 million followers on Twitch, dwarfing the 275,000 people who follow Russell. However, the latter is unlikely to be too concerned, given the success he has had in gaming.

Russell initially showcased his talents to a wider audience during the 2020 Formula 1 Virtual Grand Prix series, recording victories in Spain, Monaco, Azerbaijan, and Canada on his way to being crowned as champion. He continues to use gaming as a release valve today, spending endless hours online alongside Russell, Alex Albon, and Charles Leclerc.

Once dismissed as a passing fad, gaming has become a truly global phenomenon. The involvement of F1 stars in the genre perfectly highlights its popularity, which is unlikely to diminish any time soon.