Eddie Jordan said he "wouldn't have allowed" Max Verstappen to race in other virtual events on the same weekend as a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
The Dutchman did exactly that last month at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. After qualifying on pole for the race at Imola, he returned to his motorhome and raced a four-hour stint in a virtual 24-hour race around the Nurburgring.
Verstappen contributed to a victory for his Team Redline in the online event. And then he went out on track for real to take the win over Lando Norris, despite the late night of gaming.
Red Bull didn't mind him taking part but former F1 team owner Jordan says that wouldn't have been the case if he were in Christian Horner 's shoes. "I wouldn't have allowed it if I had been the boss," the Irishman said on his Formula For Success podcast.
"If I had been Christian, I'd have said, 'I'm sorry Max, you're here, you're being paid this kind of money to represent the sponsors, the team, everybody associated with the suppliers etc.' And I think it's very hard to have total concentration, certainly I know this from myself because I don't have that.
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"But Max must be a different kind of make-up and I'm seeing the focus that he's got like we talked about. He's in a different league, isn't he? You never had any doubt that he was going to win that race, he's an immense character."
Speaking about his plans that weekend, Verstappen said he did not have to seek permission from his team to take part in the virtual race. And he snapped back at those who criticised his decision to do so, insisting he knows what he is capable of doing.
Eddie Jordan was not impressed with Max Verstappen's actions (Getty Images)He said: "Whether I had to ask permission? No, in the end I decide what I do. Nor can I decide for other people what they do on a Saturday night. People can go somewhere to eat or drink and go crazy. It's my free time. I am professional enough to see for myself what can and cannot be done.
"People will say that I don't care. As I said, I am professional enough. I also don't think in scenarios like, 'I did something yesterday, so that can affect today's day'. Look, if you don't go to bed and don't sleep, it won't be good. But with so many years of experience, I really know what I can do. The last few races I also started gaming in my spare time and you don't hear anyone [complain] about that."
Verstappen is 56 points ahead of nearest challenger Charles Leclerc in the drivers' standings, heading into this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. He has won six of the nine races held this year with Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris all boasting one victory each.
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