F1 champion Max Verstappen reveals bizarre 2am habit

Verstappen smirking in a Verstappen.com jacket during his gt appearance at the Nurburgring — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen reveals bizarre 2am habit

Max Verstappen is a four-time world champion

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 29 December 2025 10:56

Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen has revealed the bizarre thing that keeps him awake at night.

Verstappen has transcended the sport of F1 in recent seasons, claiming four championship titles, and the Dutchman narrowly missed out on a record-equalling fifth consecutive championship in 2025.

He still managed to claim eight race victories, however, which was more than any other driver throughout the year.

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Verstappen also celebrated some success away from F1 in 2025, claiming his GT3 Nordschleife licence, and then winning his debut GT3 race.

Now, he has revealed the secret behind his immense racing talent and success across multiple series, suggesting that he tests out certain racing moves in the middle of the night.

"Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with ideas and I need to try them out, I can't wait," the Dutchman explained on the Talking Bull podcast.

"I get up and turn on the simulator. At 2 in the morning? Yes, of course I've done this."

How long will Verstappen race in F1?

With his various ventures outside of F1, there have, understandably, been concerns about how long 28-year-old Verstappen will continue to compete in F1.

Verstappen has consistently said that he will not race in the sport as long as someone like Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, both of whom are in their 40s.

But more recently, Verstappen suggested that if the F1 calendar remains as long as it is with 24 races, he would find it hard to stay in the sport until even his mid 30s.

Verstappen has many passions away from F1, with sim racing, GT Racing and a desire to one day compete in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race just to name a few. On top of this, Verstappen also has a young family, following his partner Kelly Piquet giving birth earlier this year.

"I don't see myself driving in Formula 1 until I'm 44, let alone with 24 races per season," Verstappen told Viaplay in an end of season interview. "Even being in F1 at 34 would be too much."

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen