Max Verstappen could take on a new role alongside his Red Bull duties.
Teams competing in the World Endurance Championship have gotten in touch with Max Verstappen on potential future attendance in the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Red Bull athlete has stated in the past that he will drive a Hypercar in the difficult endurance event after his Formula One career is finished.
For Verstappen, competing throughout the demanding Formula One calendar would be difficult. Nico Hulkenberg, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours with Porsche in 2015, was the final active Formula One driver to compete in the race during that season.
Verstappen acknowledged receiving calls regarding a possible participation at the occasion. He does, however, assert that it will take some time for individuals engaged in the sport to fully comprehend the new Hypercars.
According to the Dutchman, “of course, you get contacted by certain people, but it has to come at the right time and in the right way,” Motorsport.com was informed.
“I also want to avoid making snap decisions. Since it’s still mostly a Balance of Performance story, I believe it will take at least another year or two before everyone has a better understanding of the new cars.”
Although he admits it has to be done in a “good way,” Verstappen is adamant that he could combine Le Mans and Formula One in the same season. The 26-year-old has previously declared that he will only participate in the race if his Formula One career is finished.
He went on: “Whether or not it can be done well depends entirely on the preparation.
That and what I typically do on the simulator are quite similar. If I couldn’t adequately prepare for it, I definitely wouldn’t have driven that sim race over the Imola weekend, but this time I could, so it was feasible.
“Of course, you can’t run Le Mans and Formula One in one weekend, but if it can be combined in a good way, then I think it can be done during the F1 season.”
The Hypercar regulations remain in their infancy following their introduction three years ago. However, Verstappen is prepared to see how they develop. He said: “It’s too early for me to enter because of the new regulations as well, I think they need to sort out the BOP a little bit better between the cars.
“I find that it’s a little hit-and-miss at times. Additionally, I believe that there should be a cap on the driver weight because, while I may weigh 80 kg with my outfit, other drivers may be 50 or 60 kg.
“You have no chance when you go to Le Mans; that’s already a few tenths of a second every lap. The difference is rather amazing.
“So they must resolve that. There must be a minimum or average weight that you must adhere to. But I’m sure I’d like to race in the future. Yes, this is a truly amazing occurrence.”
Leave a Reply