Credits: Imago

Earlier this week, EA Sports announced Max Verstappen as their cover star for this year’s F1 game. He will collaborate with the company and the official game of the sport which is developed by Codemasters. EA Sports, valued at $33.9 billion, has made the three-time world champion the poster boy of their 2024 plans.

According to Junaid Samodien on X (formerly Twitter), this new deal shall include the following details:

“EA SPORTS branding to feature on Max’s helmet and bespoke helmet designs through the 2024 season. Max Verstappen to feature as cover star for EA SPORTS F1 24 Champions Edition.”

Last year’s edition of the F1 23 game cover featured Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc. The Champions Edition, however, belonged to Max Verstappen, and the Dutchman will feature on its cover for the second consecutive year.

Verstappen has been dominating F1 since 2022 and is showing no signs of slowing down. Consequently, his popularity has also increased, further justifying EA Sports’ decision to make him the cover star for this year’s Champions Edition.

What makes this a blockbuster move on EA Sports’ side is the fact that Verstappen himself is a sim-racing icon. His extended inclusion in their promotional material could garner the attention of die-hard sim-racing fans and newcomers alike.

Max Verstappen’s sim-racing legacy

Verstappen is an avid sim racer. His participation in the famed iRacing ranked sessions and organized events (with Team Redline) have gained him much accolade and fandom in the sim-racing circles.

Verstappen’s real passion for this sub-genre of motorsport came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, the now 26-year-old would constantly participate in online races and stream them on his Twitch channel.

He has continued this trend into the present as well. Max Verstappen’s sim racing rig will be installed in his motorhome for the upcoming European leg of the F1 world championship according to Motorsport.com.

This would also serve as the perfect opportunity to get back at Charles Leclerc who had hilariously gifted him a copy of F1 22 with him on the cover during F1’s Secret Santa at the 2022 Abu Dhabi GP.