Marko: Verstappen will no longer drive sims so late

The news came after Verstappen endured a horrible Hungarian Grand Prix where he finished fifth after his Red Bull R20 was no match for the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as the Dutchman was also under pressure from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen spent the race ranting over the team radio complaining about his car's pace and the team's strategy, while his driving not up the level we have been accustomed to seeing from him, as he was unable to pass Hamilton after several attempts, clashing with the Briton on the final one.

Apparently, Verstappen has stayed up late sim racing on Saturday night before the race, suggesting he did not have enough sleep, which could've explained his irritation which put the Red Bull ace under more criticism.

But speaking to the media after the race, including GrandPrix247, Marko downplayed that theory saying: "He was up even longer in Imola, I don't know where the sleeping times came from again, and won the race.

"Max has a different rhythm to me or other people and the time he went to bed yesterday is nothing out of the ordinary for him.

"He didn't even wake up at ten o'clock in Zandvoort when the helicopters flew over his motorhome. He's got his sleep quota, and he's had it as usual, that's rubbish," the Austrian insisted.

However, in his recent Speedweek column, Marko did a bit of a U-Turn on the matter, and while insisting staying up late did not affect Verstappen's Hungarian GP, he pointed out that the triple Formula 1 Champion will refrain from late-night sim racing on race weekends.

Marko wrote: "I have to say that: In Imola, he [Verstappen] didn't go to bed until three o'clock in the morning after a sim racing session - and then won the Grand Prix. Max has a different sleep rhythm and he had his seven hours of sleep.

"His late-night sim race on the Hungarian weekend only came about because a driver in his team had dropped out. Nevertheless, we have agreed that he will no longer drive sims so late in the future," he concluded.