Max Verstappen is (Probably) a Better Gamer Than You

At 26, Max Verstappen is already a three-time Formula One world champion. The Red Bull Racing driver (who turns 27 at the end of this month) has been racing professionally for the past decade and, in 2014, became the youngest driver in Formula One history upon his F1 debut – a record he still holds today. Racing has been a lifelong passion for Verstappen. The son of a former Formula One race driver, Max's journey started early when he began kart racing aged four. But there is something else that he has been doing for just as long and, as he himself admits, is just as passionate about: gaming.

In between all of the training, the time trials, the travel to and from race weekends, and the various sponsor commitments that eat up his time away from the track, Max Verstappen games. In fact, when we caught up with him during a break on the set of his latest TV commercial shoot earlier this summer, there was a PlayStation 5 with EA SPORTS FC 24 set up in his dressing room. We were there to interview him, but it was he who asked the first question: "Shall we do Holland vs. England?" Reluctantly, given his digital on-pitch reputation, we agreed.

""We do a lot of Pro Clubs actually, together. It's really, really a lot of fun, because you rank up your player and mine is like level 100 now!"

As the game loaded, Max continued to be the interviewer and asked this editor what his favorite team was. The answer was Liverpool, and Max was asked in return what his favorite UK club was. There was, for a few seconds, silence. And then he burst out laughing, the kind of laugh that underpinned an unwelcome answer and indicated only one thing: Max Verstappen's favorite English side was Manchester United, Liverpool's eternal arch-rivals. "In my team we even have a [Manchester] City fan", said Max, jokingly, before adding, "I didn't know they had fans!" The awkwardness of the moment was saved by the game's start-up video. "This is a nice edit," said Max, referring to FC 24's opening montage, "I haven't seen this one before."

It was June, so we were in the middle of the UEFA Euro 2024 football championship, and the game's usual opening video had been swapped for a new edit that celebrated the tournament currently taking place. As we watched the opening film, former England attacking midfielder Paul Gascoigne flashed on screen, which prompted Verstappen to proclaim that "he was a great player" before we reminisced on "that goal" he scored in the Euro 1996 tournament.

It turns out it wasn't the first time Verstappen has given an interview while gaming. Well, we think so anyway. We asked, but his response left a lot to the imagination: "Hmm. Yeah. Well, maybe not 'full-on'..." he answered, before interrupting his own answer to suggest which mode we played. We weren't sure where he was going with "full-on" – whether he meant that he'd never given a "full-on" interview while gaming, or if he'd never been "full-on" gaming while giving an interview. Either way, one thing was clear: he was here to play. As we chose our teams, the serious, competitive, triple world champion persona that we often see publicly from Max Verstappen seemed to dissolve into something else – something different, though not entirely dissimilar.

It was like the focus that made him a Formula One world champion was flipped – like two sides of the same coin – and while the stakes weren't as high now, (playing a video game against a journalist) he still had the very same drive. We continued to make conversation, asking Max what his favorite club team was, to which he replied that "in Holland it's PSV Eindhoven, but in international football I would say it's Barcelona." We wanted to get a better idea of who Max was – the gamer, the football fan – to help paint a picture for who we'd be writing about in a few weeks. So, we asked him, "Hey Max, who were your favorite players growing up?", and his answer was at the same time both surprising and unsurprising. "Shall we do Team Management?", he asked us in reply, referring to the pre-match mode within the game where you set up your team's formation, strategy and so forth, his focus on the match ahead clear.

"It can be quite lonely at times, you know, when you’re always traveling. I always bring my laptop and try to have a bit of fun."

So there it was: the mentality of a world champion laid bare for us to see. While the stakes were different – this was, after all, an exhibition game of football played on a PS5, hardly a title-deciding final day of the season race – for Max they were just as high. Although this was just a game, it was clear to us that he was here to win, and seemingly clear to Max that this editor was petrified for the spanking he had coming to him. "I think you'll be alright!" he laughed. "I mean, it's gonna be attacking when I play, but let's see how open you are on defense."

Check out more from our conversation with Max Verstappen below.

When you play with your friends whilst you’re on the road, do they get competitive with you?

Yeah, we're all super competitive.

No special favors? They don't let you win?

Oh, no. No, no, for sure not. It's hard [doing an interview while playing] isn't it? Because you want to focus. [laughs]

What's your favorite game to play with your friends?

It's either Call of Duty or EA FC. We do a lot of Pro Clubs actually, together. It's really, really a lot of fun, because you rank up your player and mine is like level 100 now! I mean, of course... [Max interrupts himself and shouts at the screen] HIT IT! Oh, no. No way. I can’t believe he missed that. There's no way Gakpo misses that!

When you're on the road playing with friends, is it a good way of keeping those relationships active and healthy?

Yeah, it is. It can be quite lonely at times, you know, when you're always traveling. I always bring my laptop and try to have a bit of fun.

We hear you play a lot of racing games. Aside from the obvious, what are the biggest differences between playing a game like F1 24 and the real thing?

I think it's just getting more real, more advanced, you know? And more natural, too, compared to the real stuff. Initially the game, for me, felt a bit more arcade, and I feel like it's stepping away from that in a sense. But still keeping, of course, its players having fun. It's really fun. The tracks keep getting updated, too, with more laser scanned tracks.

Do you ever play with a racing rig?

Oh yeah! Yeah, for sure. I mean, [playing racing simulators] is still, of course, my biggest passion. I have a full-on rig at home. That’s still my biggest [gaming] passion, it’s what I grew up doing a lot.

Have you've been gaming your whole life?

Since I was four years old, I would say. At the time it was, of course, with a controller… [interrupts himself gesturing to the screen] HE WAS OFFSIDE, NO?!

What games did you grow up playing?

F1 games, mainly. And MotoGP.

Do you ever race bikes in real life?

Hmm, nah, it’s quite dangerous. It’s so, so easy to injury yourself... [interrupts himself again] AHH... GET IT... Many chances, but not many goals!

I've heard you've got a like a custom-built gaming rig that travels with you?

In Europe, I have a motorhome that I stay in –

Max scores a second goal in the game.

[Laughing] Now I’m a bit safer! 2-0! In my motorhome I have a [racing simulation] rig, fully how it should be. I can drive anything on it.

What's the craziest goal you've ever scored in this game?

Yeah. It was from a corner with a power shot, like, just outside the box. Top corner. It was unbelievable. Probably a 200 kph (125 mph) shot. It was insane. [In-game whistle blows for half-time] I’m not gonna make any changes [to my team]. I think I'm happy with it.

Max scores again.

There we go! 3!

Do you get to play this with any other drivers?

We played when there was a typhoon in Japan a couple years ago. We all played together in a hotel because we couldn't race that day. That was fun. You know, we're all very competitive, it's quite funny!

I'm getting the sense that you're the guy that people go to when they want to play some games on the road?

I normally have everything with me, yeah. [laughs]

At this stage, Max's publicist let's us know that time is coming to an end and we need to wrap things up. We've just reached half-time in the game, so still have a full half to play.

I’m happy to if Max is…

I’m not very happy yet.

But you’re beating me 3-0?!

It needs to be five! At least!

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Max Verstappen is (Probably) a Better Gamer Than You

Max Verstappen is (Probably) a Better Gamer Than You

Max Verstappen is (Probably) a Better Gamer Than You

Max Verstappen is (Probably) a Better Gamer Than You

Max Verstappen is (Probably) a Better Gamer Than You