P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has clarified prior comments on banning Max Verstappen from late-night sim racing after the Dutchman denied any such arrangement.
Red Bull adviser Dr. Helmut Marko initially stated that Max Verstappen had been banned from late-night sim racing over F1 weekends, but later retracted his statement. Verstappen was criticized for competing in the 24 hours of Spa sim race until 3 am on Sunday before the Hungarian Grand Prix, which resulted in an underwhelming performance. Despite previous successes, such as winning the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Verstappen’s aggressive team radio messages and collision with Lewis Hamilton raised concerns within the team. Marko clarified that while there would be restrictions on late-night racing, it was more of a strong recommendation than a definite ban. Verstappen acknowledged the need to balance his sim racing hobby with on-track performance, emphasizing that his participation in races is not always planned far in advance.
