Gaming simulator on £10m private jet? Verstappen explains “absurd” claim

The F1 world champion has confirmed that he has not, in fact, installed a state-of-the-art gaming simulator on his private jet which reportedly cost £10m.

But he does have a fancy new gaming simulator which will follow him to every F1 grand prix.

• Verstappen replies to Hamilton’s “he has a problem” remark: “We all had a laugh”

It was Red Bull chief Helmut Marko who first made the now-refuted claim: “[Max] even had his private plane converted so that he can fly a simulator in the air in the future. 

“But that’s a good thing, too, because Max needs this distraction. In any case, it didn’t do him any harm when it came to his two titles!”

The new simulator is not at 30,000 feet, Verstappen has now clarified. It will be in his motorhome in the F1 paddock.

"I said I will install one there because I can just keep on driving when I'm back in the evening because I like it,” he said. 

“It's my hobby in a way. It just keeps you sharp as well.

"I think [Marko] misunderstood and he said ‘plane’. So no, I'm not installing one in my plane. I think that would be a bit absurd."

Verstappen’s love of gaming is well-known - he runs an esports team and his furious reaction to be disconnected from an online game recently made the F1 community chuckle.

He has announced a new partnership with EA Sports, the gaming giants behind the current F1 game, which will see him help to “create content”.