Marko provides update on Verstappen sim racing 'ban'

Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko has rowed back on assertions that Max Verstappen has been banned from late-night sim racing over F1 weekends.

The Dutchman was up competing in the 24 hours of Spa sim race until around 3am on Sunday morning ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix - something the 26-year-old was broadly criticised for in the wake of an underwhelming race at the Hungaroring.

It is not the first time the three-time drivers' champion has dovetailed sim racing activities and a grand prix this season, with Verstappen competing for Team Redline on iRacing into the night at Imola. He went on to take victory in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

However, his expletive-strewn team radio outbursts and podium-costing collision with Lewis Hamilton in Budapest caused team principal Christian Horner to say he would hold private conversations with Verstappen about his radio conduct.

Meanwhile, Marko said it would lead to a ban from sim racing late at night on grand prix weekends for the 61-time grand prix winner - something Verstappen denied and the Austrian has now walked back on.

"We have agreed that in the future he will not drive well past 00:00, even though he has a completely different rhythm of life," the 81-year-old said on Sky Sports Germany.

"But still, you have to avoid things like this that are understandably attacked in public."

However, Marko went on to reveal that it may not be a surefire ban after all, adding: "It is a very strong recommendation."

Verstappen had not intended to do sim racing in Hungary

A large part of the backlash is based on how Verstappen acquitted himself, both on track and over team radio. That was the key difference between Imola and Budapest. 

The advisor is keenly aware of that, and was clear that it cannot continue if it affects results on track for Red Bull. 

However, Verstappen pointed out over the weekend that perhaps there were advantages to his sim racing exploits.

Marko also highlighted that Verstappen had not originally planned to compete in the iRacing event, but had to step-in last minute.

"If a race doesn't go the way you want it to and you finish in fifth place, for example, then you have to avoid this kind of thing," said Marko.

"And we know that sim racing is his biggest hobby. It was also not his intention to drive a part in that race, until a team-mate had to give up."