Max Verstappen says he is looking forward to the resumption of the 2020 season - even if the races have to take place behind closed doors for now.
The Red Bull driver told Servus TV that he is not suffering too much amid the coronavirus shutdown.
"Basically, I like to be at home, so I don’t have any major problems with it," said Verstappen. "But I love racing more than anything else in the world.
"Instead, I am training intensively and spending a lot of time on my simulator, which is in my living room."
However, while obviously a top sim driver, Verstappen says he is actually better in real life.
"I love balancing the car at the limit, and ultimately this racing feeling cannot be compared to a simulation," he said. "I really hope that we can soon compete in the real racing world again."
The Dutchman says he supports Red Bull and F1’s plan to get the season going with controlled, spectator-less back-to-back race weekends in Austria.
"Two races at the Red Bull Ring would be great," he said. "Of course it’s a shame if we drive in front of empty grandstands, but the important thing is that we can drive again as soon as the circumstances permit."
As for his chances of becoming F1’s youngest ever title winner in 2020, Verstappen said: "Normally, we tend to gain strength over the course of a season and are stronger in the second half.
"This time I hope we can make the jump at the beginning. The car felt good during the winter tests in Barcelona, so let’s see how it goes when we can finally drive again. Anyway, I’m ready."