None of this is at all surprising.
Verstappen is now what can be considered an F1 veteran.
He raced for years on the highest level of competition.
Anything related to race craft, precision, understanding of vehicle dynamics he masters by now in the highest level.
You can see that clearly in his fights for position with other drivers in GT racing.
He gets closer consistently, goes for the smallest gaps that will need commit and high precision driving side by side through several corners …
You don’t learn that stuff by accident.
He also brings something else from being a very experienced formula driver:
His knowledge of high downforce, high powered vehicles with MUCH smaller margin of error on the fringe than GT3 cars gets him the rock solid commit at the highest level when racing through difficult corners at high speeds.
He knows the corners and car’s specs, what speeds, lines, conditions define the envelope, he commits and against another driver with a lesser package in that situation (older tires, less downforce, less ideal line, …) Verstappen simple takes the position by mathematics.
How is he so good at the Nordschleife?
He probably has raced more kilometers at the virtual Nordscheife in the simulator than all real oldschool Nordschleife specialists combined.
This gives him blind knowledge of the location of the track. He will likely not have these moments when he “forgets” for a split second what the next three corners will be … he likely feels intrinsically “at home”.
How does he deal with the fact that the real track has infinitely more complex variables to racing than the static simulator track?
His adaptability and experience in high level racing for years is the answer.
A specific line at a specific corner at a specific temp and track condition is off vs his simulator brain program?
He saves the deviation and adjusts precisely the next lap in.
I am not at all surprised by his performance.
I’d say, take any of the exceptional F1 drivers around his generation who grew up with simulators and have years of F1 experience and put them in a GT3 car at the Nordschleife and they will be up to speed fast.
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