Kerkhof: "Max Verstappen always blossoms up in a race"

In the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans many big names will be taking part, from Formula 1 drivers to professional sim racers. Driving a sim race is a bit different from the real thing, but according to Atze Kerkhof that is no problem at all for Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

For the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans Team Redline is seen as one of the favourites. It's not that crazy, because the team has several stars on the list. The professional and highly regarded simracers Greger Huttu and Atze Kerkhof are in the team, but also Verstappen and Norris.

According to Kerkhof the team is obliged to participate at the front of the stand, but it is certainly no guarantee for victory yet. "It's a 24 hour race and there are many factors you can't control. Not all drivers who participate are simracers who are used to sitting behind the PC for hours without making mistakes. Dealing with traffic and unpredictability will therefore become an important factor. If we are flexible about this, we have a chance to win," explains the Dutchman in an interview with Motorsport.com.

Close to the real thing

For a long sim race a lot of preparation is needed. "We've been preparing for about three or four weeks now. But Max Verstappen and Lando Norris hardly need any training to get up to speed. Those guys go really fast right away. Something like that sounds a bit amazing to say, but it's just the way it is."

Although sim racing is normally different from racing in a real car, the driving style of rFactor 2, the game that is used, does come close to the real thing. "Someone with a lot of talent and feeling, like Verstappen or Norris, gets into the virtual car and only needs a few laps. With Max that was literally two laps. The real difference with Max is that you only see the difference in the race. He really blossoms up during a race", Kerkhof explains about the Dutch driver.

The virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans is currently underway. You can follow the race live here.