Latest news with #Dutch-Belgian
IOL News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- IOL News
Will Max Verstappen be the quickest around Spa again?
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing. | BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix If you are looking for a high speed track on the Formula 1 calendar, Spa Francorchamps in Belgium is the pinnacle of the sport, where drivers reach up to 320km/h. And for the past few years, Max Verstappen has been the fastest around the iconic circuit and will be looking to extend his domination at Spa this season. There will only be a single practice session, as it is a Sprint race weekend, where crowds are expected to be draped in orange to honor the four-time world champion. Verstappen's RB21 was summoned by the FIA this week for inspection. The procedure will allow media and paddock personnel to inspect the vehicle. The 27-year-old will be looking to close the gap between himself and the papaya lightning drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and hopefully take a podium this year. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Thirty-two points are up for grabs this weekend, and could prove vital if Verstappen wants to put up a fight with McLaren and make the title chase a little more interesting. The Champion is 69 points behind Piastri who leads the paddock half way through the season. While rumours of Verstappen's possible move to Mercedes have taken over the paddock, the Dutch-Belgian driver this week confirmed that he is staying at Red Bull. Verstappen said that Christian Horner's exit from the team has in no way impacted his future at the Milton Keynes outfit. "The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really. The last one and a half years have not been what we want to be. "Now we try to be more competitive this year a little bit, but for sure also with the new regulations,' Verstappen said. From 2026, the F1 has instilled a new set of rules surrounding engine and chassis on the cars. The new regulations state that power generation must be an equal divide between internal combustion and electric motors. The battery on the electric side of things will experience a boost in power. There will also be a cost cap for engine development. On the chassis side of things, active aerodynamics are being reintroduced with teams allowed to fit adjustable front and rear wings. The cars will also have a shorter wheel base. The Drag Reduction System (DRS) will be replaced by a low-drag mode that can be activated on straights by all cars, regardless of proximity to other cars.
IOL News
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Could Max Verstappen join Mercedes? The latest on F1's hottest transfer rumour
FILE - There is plenty of speculation surrounding the future of Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen. Image: Andrea Diodato / NurPhoto via AFP The talk in the world of Formula 1 has once again surrounded the idea that Max Verstappen could possibly make a move to Mercedes at the end of this season. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was the one to confirm that they considered Verstappen, telling his wife Susie in the Drive to Survive series that the four-time champion was 'an option'. Mercedes 'senior' driver George Russell gave those rumours surrounding Verstappen's transfer new life after he told the media that talks to sign the Dutch-Belgian driver were 'ongoing'. The fact that neither Russell nor Kimi Antonelli have a contract with Mercedes for next season gives the speculation some weight, as well as the evidently under-performing Red Bull car Verstappen was put in this season. Verstappen is, however, locked into a contract with Red Bull spanning until 2028, but the contract also has a performance-related exit clause. It's understood that the clause could be triggered if Verstappen is outside the top four drivers on the F1 standings by the final round before the summer break. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Wolff, meanwhile, has not refuted claims that he may sign Verstappen for next season and has set a deadline of the pre-summer break to determine the team's line-up for F1 in 2026. 'The organisation, the drivers, everybody, you need to understand the way forward. And I don't want to be sadistic in letting a driver wait, not taking any decisions when it should be taken. 'So I feel we're in a good space in June. Obviously, there's lots of discussions around, and I've been open with it and transparent and at a certain stage, in the next couple of months – until the summer break, we need to know. Until the summer break, everything is going to be done,' Wolff said. Mercedes have enjoyed a few ups and some downs this season, with Russell taking his first win in Canada a few weeks ago and has managed to maintain consistent podium finishes prior to that win. However, this was not enough for Wolff to extend the contract with the British driver, who currently has no car for next season. Antonelli, on the other hand, has proven himself as a vital asset for Wolff, capable of being a good second driver or maybe even lead them some day. But if Verstappen came in to sit alongside the Italian teenager, there's no telling how the two could get on. Ironically, Antonelli crashed into the rear end of Verstappen's car this past Sunday at Spielberg, causing both drivers to retire early.
IOL News
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Four F1 world titles later, Max Verstappen is still a ‘purist' racer
Max Verstappen's unhappiness at Red Bull has not been a secret. Photo: AFP Image: AFP Comment by Jehran Naidoo Say what you want about Max Verstappen – cocky, arrogant and sometimes overly aggressive, but you cannot deny that the four-time world champion has a hunger unparalleled to most of his competitors. It's mid-season and the paddock took a bit of a break to help the mothership market its new movie 'F1', starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. There was a fancy display of the grid in New York and most of the drivers showed up wearing their Sunday best. Hamilton won the best dressed award, as usual… Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ But Verstappen opted to head home to spend some time with Lily and test out a GT3 spec Aston Martin at one of motorsports greatest tracks – Spa. He was not the only one to sit the premier out, as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli had to head back to Italy to write his exams – clearly another hungry driver – just hungry for his education at this point. Oscar Piastri, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll also sat out the premier due to their own personal reasons while Verstappen laid down some times in the Aston Martin. Going under the alias 'Franz Hermann' when he's out racing GT3 cars, Verstappen could either just be training to become a better F1 driver or getting ready to make a pivot into a new career path. His unhappiness at Red Bull has not been a secret, amid car development challenges and key staff members, like designer Adrian Newey, leaving the Milton Keynes outfit. The Dutch-Belgian driver has also devoted a bit more time to his family since the birth of his new daughter, and could also explain his absence from the premier. But he did not miss the opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. The 2025 season, which marks a decade in F1 for Verstappen, has had its ups and downs – but most of it was spent chasing the tail end of papaya lightning. His win in Japan showed a level of driving that even shocked his own team, who knew the RB21 stood no chance against both McLarens. Then again at Imola, Verstappen pulled off not only a win, but a sizable lead ahead of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, a bit of a flex to show off the new money Red Bull had dumped into the RB21's development post Newey. The paddock will pack up in New York and unload at the Red Bull ring in Austria next weekend, and Verstappen will have a chance to claim another victory in his home turf and add some much needed points toward his fifth title shot. Equalling Schumacher's record of five straight world titles is a feat still very much possible at this stage, especially with McLaren losing a bit of concentration in recent weeks. But he will have to deal with a determined George Russell and another hungry future champion in Antonelli. The Italian teenager has given Mercedes a fighting chance for the Constructors title this year, enough to rival the prowess of McLaren. Red Bull, on the other hand, can only put all their eggs in Verstappen's basket at this point – as the 'cursed' second seat bears no fruit for Christian Horner, who does not remember what a Constructors title tastes like. But many have speculated that Verstappen will call it quits after this season, and cannot invest his career into Red Bull's hopes and dreams in F1. He has stated that his interest in GT3 racing is real, and is also known to be a sim-racing expert – competing in 24-hour events online as well.
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
'I was Verstappen's ally at Red Bull – I think he's going to retire this year'
Max Verstappen could retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season if former Red Bull Racing mechanic Calum Nicholas is to be believed, as he made a bold prediction on the Dutch-Belgian's future Max Verstappen will retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season if Calum Nicholas' predictions are accurate. The 27-year-old Red Bull star, with four world titles under his belt, is believed by long-time mechanic Nicholas to be satisfied with his legacy if he can secure a fifth title by the end of the year. During a round of golf with Lucas Stewart on his YouTube channel, Nicholas was asked to "fill in the blank" regarding how many F1 titles Verstappen will retire with. His response was simply: "Five." Elaborating on his prediction, Nicholas boldly added: "I think Max is going to win the Drivers' this year, and then I think he's going to call it a day." When questioned if he had insider knowledge that racing fans lacked due to his close ties with Verstappen, Nicholas replied: "No, I definitely don't know anything," maintaining an air of mystery around his prediction. He then added: "To not back Max is just lunacy." It comes as Nicholas announced before the start of the 2025 season that he would be stepping away from the garage to take on a new role as a Red Bull Racing ambassador, concluding his 13-year career as a Formula 1 mechanic, reports the Express. In a statement at the time, he said: "The time has come to hang up my race suit. It's a career that I'm incredibly proud to look back on. "To all of those who've been a part of this amazing journey, thank you! For the last decade of my life I've been very fortunate to work with an incredible group of people, in a team like no other. So, today, I'm very pleased to announce that I'll be taking on an exciting new role, as a Red Bull Racing ambassador!" Securing a fifth consecutive F1 title appears to be a Herculean task for Verstappen at the moment, given his unusual year so far. At present, the defending champion is third in the Drivers' Standings with just two victories and four podium finishes, trailing McLaren's Oscar Piastri by 49 points. Meanwhile, Red Bull are feeling the heat from a formidable McLaren in the race for the Constructors' Championship - currently lagging behind the seasonal leaders by 218 points. Due to receiving three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence at the Spanish Grand Prix following his collision with George Russell, Verstappen is just one point away from a one-race ban which could further dent his chances of vying for the world title this year. He will now have to maintain a clean record at the upcoming Canadian and Austrian Grand Prix to avoid such a scenario. Under contract with Red Bull until 2028, Verstappen has also previously mentioned that he doesn't aspire to follow in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by racing into his late 30s and 40s. However, he is yet to announce a specific retirement date as speculation regarding his future continues to mount. After a 10th place finish at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Verstappen will be hoping for a stronger performance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday.
NZ Herald
02-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Formula 1 star Max Verstappen welcomes first child with Kelly Piquet
The Dutch-Belgian driver, who races under the Dutch flag for Red Bull, has won four F1 World Drivers' Championships and 64 Grands Prix. Piquet, 36, is already a mum to daughter Penelope, who was born in 2019. Penelope's father is Formula One driver Daniil Kyvat. Verstappen previously told the Talking Bull podcast that seeing Piquet parent Penelope helped him feel ready to become a father. 'Luckily I did get a little bit of training with Penelope, seeing her grow up already for like four years. Which has been really, really nice. 'But yes, for sure, when it's like, also going to be fully your own [child]... Yes, it's going to be a different challenge. But I'm looking forward to it.' It comes after an announcement that the Red Bull driver would not appear during a media day ahead of the Miami Grand Prix taking place this weekend. A Red Bull spokesperson said in a statement, 'Max will not be attending media day in Miami as he is expecting a baby. All is well and he will attend track tomorrow for the race weekend. 'We will not be offering any further comment at this time in respect towards the privacy of Max and his family.' The pair started dating in October 2020, sharing their baby news in December 2024. Though there is an age gap of nine years between them, Piquet has said the relationship thrives as 'we have a lot of understanding and support for each other'. Piquet herself is the daughter of iconic Formula One driver Nelson Piquet, who has three Drivers' Championships to his name.
