Sim racing has become huge over the last few years, with multiple real-life drivers engaging in it during their time away from the track. Max Verstappen has been at the forefront of this revolution and has used his platform for good causes, as evidenced by his recent actions.
The annual ‘Race for Mental Health’—organized by sim racer and pro driver, Jimmy Broadbent—achieved unparalleled success this season, with Verstappen’s involvement in it breaking their own set expectations.
This virtual endurance event, aimed at raising awareness for mental health and funds, was held at Circuit Zolder, a two-mile race track in Belgium. Verstappen was among the drivers participating and organizers hoped it would help them surpass their $109,000 fundraising target.
At the end of the session, Broadbent and Verstappen had raised over $117,500.
Prominent names in the world of sim-racing such as Jardier, were also among the ones taking part. Gabriel Bortoleto, who earned a Sauber seat in F1 for 2025, also dropped in a cameo, although not in a driving role. Verstappen went on to invent a nickname for the Brazilian, hilariously calling him ‘Bubbles’.
As a three-time World Champion, Verstappen was understandably the main focus of this race, and presumably the reason behind its overwhelming financial boost. During the event, Verstappen, true to his usual form, delivered some funny moments and remained his jovial self.
The biggest talking point was arguably his virtual livery. His car was decked with Formula 1 memes — some of them being very controversial ones.
For instance, on the hood of the Red Bull driver’s car, there was a picture of Lando Norris going deep into Turn 1 at the 2024 Sao Paulo GP, accompanied by the caption ‘Think Different.’ On the rear fender, a comparison was made between George Russell and Woody from Toy Story.
The most hilarious meme on Verstappen’s car, however, took a dig at the FIA. It featured a simple graphic from the broadcasts reading ’10-second penalty to Verstappen,’ a subtle nod to the trouble the Dutchman has found himself in with the governing body over the past few weeks—ranging from punishments for swearing to bad luck with their decision-making.
Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban’s love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade’s worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban’s expertise goes beyond just writing – he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil ’91, Silverstone ’92, and Germany ’19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.
