Former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg was a big fan of Lando Norris’ regimented preparation heading into Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. However, the same could not be said for his opinion of Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen.
Rosberg – who won the world title with Mercedes in 2016, the year Verstappen made his Red Bull debut – appeared on Sky Sports’ coverage of Sunday’s action from the Hungaroring. And it was there that he emphasised how blown away he was by McLaren star Norris’ pre-race routine.
It appeared to pay dividends, too, considering the Briton was part of a spectacular McLaren one-two behind team-mate and first-time race-winner Oscar Piastri. On the other hand, Verstappen appeared far from his best as he finished fifth and had a collision with Lewis Hamilton following reports he was simulator racing at 3am on Sunday morning.
“I was quite impressed, actually, because he [Norris] has learned how to become a more professional athlete,” said Rosberg in amazement at Norris’ prep. “When he started F1, especially against [former team-mate Daniel] Ricciardo, he wasn’t really trying to be perfect as an athlete.
“So last night, his bed time was 11:05 – not 11, 11:05. Wake-up was 8:05am. Breakfast was already set, exactly what to eat. So he was hyper-professional, which was nice to know.”
Contrast that with the race build-up of Verstappen, 26, who was reportedly racing in a simulator less than 12 hours before Sunday’s race got underway in Mogyorod. That might have been permissible had he been slaving away in preparation for Hungary, but he was in fact making a cameo on Team Redline’s Spa 24-hour race of his own volition.
“At the same time, in contrast, you have Verstappen, who until 3am last night, was sim-racing,” added Rosberg. “That’s a bit disappointing, isn’t it? It just shows that he’s too used to his ease of domination.”
It’s understandable on some level, given the manner in which Verstappen and Red Bull have won three consecutive world championships together. The Dutchman pipped Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 crown in highly controversial circumstances, but his two titles since then have each come via massive margins.
However, the public manner in which Verstappen broadcasted his late-night antics prior to the Hungary GP is sure to incense his Red Bull bosses. And while the driver himself may not say he was tired, his performance on the track looked exactly that.
Team engineers listened to the standings leader complain about the handling of his car as he struggled to overtake Hamilton’s Mercedes for large portions of the race. That misery was compounded further when a collision with the Brit temporarily sent him off the track and slump to a fifth-place finish.
While one can’t attribute such a sluggish display by his usual standards to a late bedtime alone, it certainly didn’t appear to help his case. Piastri picked up his maiden win in Hungary, and the looming shadow of McLaren is now that much closer to the pace-setter.
Verstappen, is still 76 points ahead at the top of the drivers’ standings and slaloming towards a fourth consecutive world championship. However, any more virtual video gaming in the early hours could gift the likes of McLaren and Ferrari a fresh shot at first place.
