Watch: Max Verstappen crashes out at virtual 24h of Le Mans

Max Verstappen suffered his first major crash of 2022, 16 days into the new year. Fortunately, the accident did not happen on a real track but a virtual one.

The reigning F1 world champion crashed out in spectacular fashion at the Virtual 24h of Le Mans event that was scheduled for January 15 and 16, respectively. Watch the Dutchman's crash here:

Driving for his own esports team, Redline, Verstappen took the lead at the start of the race. He then stretched it with the help of teammates Felix Rosenqvist, Atze Kerkhof and Maximilian Benecke.

Verstappen's good work, however, was undone at the seven-hour mark when he caught a kerb at the Ford Chicance before ramming into a barrier.

The 24-year-old suffered sustainable damage to his rFactor 2 model immediately on impact and was forced to retire instantly as a result of the collision.

Earlier, Verstappen had been a whisker away from grabbing pole position with a blistering qualification drive. Watch it here:

Despite the major crash, the Dutchman will no doubt be glad it didn't happen in real life.

Verstappen had some major crashes in 2021. Most notably, the 24-year-old was sent flying into the barriers at Silverstone in a 180mph crash with a 51g impact after battling Lewis Hamilton.

He also suffered a massive shunt into a wall owing to a tire failure in Azerbaijan as well as his infamous pile-up on Hamilton at Turn 2 in Monza.

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Max Verstappen pens multi-year deal with streaming service Viaplay

Staying in the world of digital entertainment, Max Verstappen has penned a multi-year deal with streaming service provider Viaplay. The deal sees the Dutchman become the brand's ambassador in all markets where they own F1 broadcasting rights. Currently, that extends to the Netherlands and all Baltic and Nordic countries. Viaplay plans to start F1 streaming in Poland in 2023.

The 2021 world champion will join the likes of David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen and Tom Kristensen, all of whom are currently affiliated with Viaplay. He will also be accompanied by father Jos Verstappen.

Here's what the 24-year-old had to say about the deal:

“I am really looking forward to this exciting partnership with Viaplay, as our ambitions to be the best in our fields match each other. It will be great to work with Viaplay’s professional on-site reporters like David Coulthard, Mika Häkkinen and Tom Kristensen. I’m sure their experience as former top drivers will be a great asset.”

Max Verstappen is expected to feature in documentaries and other unique content with in-depth analysis and insight for fans.