Four-time world champion Verstappen skips Brad Pitt F1 movie to stay with family
Max Verstappen caused a stir in F1's most glamorous paddock on Thursday after choosing to attend to his duties as a new father instead of going to an exclusive screening of the new Brad Pitt film 'F1: The Movie'.
Red Bull's four-time world champion and Aston Martin's Lance Stroll were the only absentee drivers for the preview showing of the Hollywood movie in Monaco on Wednesday evening — all part of the build-up to this weekend's Grand Prix.
Verstappen, who is no fan of promotion and marketing work beyond the needs of his own team, said he had declined the invitation well in advance. As to changing nappies, he made no comment.
"I told Formula One Management (FOM) that I would not be there," he said.
"They knew about it. I just wanted to spend more time at home. It wasn't a mandatory event and it was my private time.
"And I prefer to spend that private time at home especially as in F1 you're away from home so much already. It's pretty normal, I think. Now my family is growing, I definitely prefer more time at home."
Stroll said he was doing "just stuff", adding that: "At some point, I'll watch it."
Both drivers, and the 18 who attended, are in the principality for the Monaco Grand Prix, the second of three races in a 'triple header' of three consecutive events in Italy, Monaco and Spain, following six season-opening flyaway races in Australia, Asia, the Gulf and Florida.
The long-awaited film is due to go on general release next month and stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. It was directed by Joseph Kosinski, who made 'Top Gun: Maverick' among others, and the producers include Jerry Bruckheimer and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari.
Hamilton attended the screening after which most drivers were enthusiastic about the production, many praising the authenticity of the racing sequences.
Carlos Sainz of Williams said: "I truly enjoyed it... For us F1 experts, we're going to see things that we sometimes see with Netflix that you can tell are a bit Hollywood-esque.
"But I truly believe that for a new fan, it will attract an audience and will do very well with people who don't know anything about F1. For the hardcore fan, for the journalists and us (drivers), we see things that maybe are too American or a bit too Hollywood."
He added that the filming of racing sequences were "insane, honestly insane" and "for me the best part."
Drivers, team bosses and other guests attended the showing which Hamilton's Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc described as "really cool".
"Honestly, I didn't know what to expect," he added. "No idea. But the story-telling is really cool and the images are just incredible. I really enjoyed it."
Pierre Gasly of Alpine said: "Beautiful! It was really cool to see it for the first time. I think it is a real dive into our world of Formula One so I'm sure people will like it."
Williams' team chief James Vowles said: "I thought it was absolutely fantastic. They did a really good job of being authentic to who we are and how we go racing.
"I rate films by goosebump moments and I had three or four of them that were just really brilliant build-ups that then ended in a fantastic way. It is a fantastic package."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Manchester City prepare for rise of the Rayans at Club World Cup
Manchester City's new signing Rayan Cherki, 21, will likely learn to moderate his language. The bargain £30.9 million signing from Olympique Lyon has said that City's rivals United are in his sights when the new season starts. 'I didn't like it when Manchester United won the game against Lyon because I am a Lyonnais,' he said. 'Now I am waiting for the game [to] kill them. I'm here to win all the games.' Manchester City fans will like it. United fans saw how good Cherki was in two epic Europa League games in April. Cherki, easily Lyon's most talented player, got a late equaliser in the 2-2 first leg and then shone in the dramatic second leg where Lyon were 2-0 down, then 4-2 up with 10 men. Cherki's 104th minute strike had given his side the lead before they lost 5-4. It's understandable why that stung. Cherki played in all 12 of Lyon's games to the quarter-finals, scored four goals and made a competition-leading eight assists as the Ligue 1 side scored 29 goals – a figure only bettered by finalists Manchester United. And he could have joined United, who pushed hard to get him in the summer of 2020. It was a complicated, Covid-riddled time to try to take a 15-year-old out of France. 'We spoke to Cherki's father, but when push came to shove they didn't want to leave,' one former United official, who was familiar with the negotiations, told The National. 'They were a nice family who were fanatical Lyon fans and wanted him first to play for Lyon before being open to a move.' Cherki stayed in Lyon's celebrated academy and was on the bench as a 16-year-old when Rudi Garcia's side knocked Manchester City out of the 2020 Uefa Champions League. He has matured into a top player, a two-footed creative showman who in November said: 'Wherever I go, I want to enjoy myself and entertain people because when you see what happens pretty much everywhere in matches, there's not much entertainment on TV. I want people to enjoy themselves when they're watching TV. And I hope to do so for the whole of my career.' 'Rayan Cherki's a talent, an exciting flair player who has the ability to put that into productive performances,' said Uefa technical observer Steve Cooper, who watched Cherki several times last season. 'His technical ability, spatial awareness and decision making is very good. He dribbles well – but at the right time. He can change and dictate the rhythm of the game. 'It's not just about moments – so that's a talent. He can play in a team structure but also off the cuff and with instinctiveness to help the team and not just himself.' Cherki can act as a winger but prefers a more central No 10 role, one which has been freed up by Kevin De Bruyne's departure for Napoli. Eligible to play for France, Algeria or Italy through his grandparents, Cherki scored 12 goals for France's U21 side and won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics playing for a France team coached by Thierry Henry. Still, he was rewarded with his first full French call-up this month for the Uefa Nations League finals in Germany. 'Rayan could have been here in March, given what he has achieved with his club,' said France coach Didier Deschamps. 'He has been so decisive in terms of his goals and his assists.' Deschamps' decision was justified as Cherki matched Spain's Lamine Yamal for influence in the semi-final. Trailing 4-0 after 55 minutes, France made five substitutions in 13 second-half minutes to transform the game. Cherki, who came on in the 63rd minute, scored the second and assisted the fourth in what ended up a 5-4 defeat. 'Cherki's volleyed goal was later followed by his beautiful inswinging cross between the back of the defensive line and the goalkeeper – it was difficult to defend,' said Jose Mourinho's former assistant Rui Faria, who was at the game. 'Kolo Muani only needed a touch, and it was 5-4. Cherki made a difference.' Cherki moved to City the following week for a fee which looks like a bargain and is already involved with his new club in the Club World Cup. City start their competition with a game against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia's Lincoln Field on Wednesday. Cherki became the second Rayan of North African heritage who was raised in France and made his professional debut in the country before moving to the Premier League. Rayan Ait-Nouri is the other with the 24-year-old having just joined City in a £31m deal after helping secure Wolves' top-flight status. He missed only one game and was a key player as the club pulled away from the relegation zone, finishing the season in 16th place. Ait-Nouri has long idolised a man who became his teammate, Riyad Mahrez. 'My story is similar to his, I grew up in France and play for Algeria,' he told The National in January. 'I didn't play against Mahrez when he was at Leicester but it was amazing to watch him. 'When we watched him for Leicester when they won the league, it showed that an Algerian player could win things in the biggest league. He's the best player of Algeria of all time. He's the captain of our national team, and he tries to help the young players'. City will be up against one of Morocco's biggest clubs, Wydad, at the Club World Cup – in a group that also includes UAE side Al Ain and Serie A's Juventus – with the two Rayans lining-up for a team who will be clear favourites. Football fans and others all over North Africa will be following their progress intently.
Khaleej Times
14 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Sabalenka serves up apology to Gauff after French Open final comments
World number one Aryna Sabalenka said she has apologised to Coco Gauff after dismissing the American's maiden French Open triumph, adding that she regrets the comments she made about the 21-year-old after the final. Sabalenka had been poised for victory after claiming the opening set in a tiebreak, only to watch Gauff orchestrate a stunning 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 comeback to claim her second Grand Slam title. Sabalenka made 70 unforced errors in the final and later said at a press conference that Gauff won "not because she played incredible, (but) because I made all of those mistakes" -- comments she has since regretted making. "It was just totally unprofessional of me, I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then," Sabalenka told Eurosport. "We all make mistakes. I'm only human and I'm still learning in life. We all have those days when we lose control. "The difference with me is that the world watches me do it, I get a lot more hate afterwards for what I did than other people." Sabalenka said she had reached out to Gauff personally afterwards to apologise. "I wanted to apologise and make sure that she knows that she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her. I never intended to attack her," Sabalenka added. "I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference. I'm not necessarily grateful for what I did. "It took me a while to look at it again, to go into it with my eyes open and to understand. I realised a lot about myself." Having lost two Grand Slam finals this year, Sabalenka will now turn her attention to the grasscourt swing, warming up for Wimbledon by playing at the Berlin Open this week.
Khaleej Times
14 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Britain's tennis player Boulter says she has received death threats
British number two Katie Boulter has received death threats to herself and members of her family after matches as players are increasingly subjected to online abuse through direct messages. Gamblers are responsible for 40% of detected abuse, according to a survey undertaken by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) published on Tuesday. Boulter, 28, shared her experiences in an interview with the BBC. The world number 39 received messages that read: "Hope you get cancer", "Candles and a coffin for your entire family", and "Go to hell, I lost money my mother sent me". "I just wonder who the person is that has sent that," Boulter said looking at the "hope you get cancer" message. "I don't think it's something that I would ever say to my worst enemy. It's just an awful, awful thing to say to anyone. It's horrible." The WTA and ITF study, which monitored 1.6 million posts and comments last year using Threat Matrix AI, are calling for the gambling industry to tackle those people responsible for the abuse more effectively. "I think it just kind of shows how vulnerable we are," Boulter said. "You really don't know if this person is on site. You really don't know if they're nearby or if they know where you live or anything like that." The WTA said 458 players were targeted with direct abuse or threat last year and that action had been taken against the most serious and prolific cases, including 15 accounts escalated to law enforcement. "Online abuse is unacceptable, and something that no player should have to endure," American world number three Jessica Pegula, a member of the WTA Players' Council said in a statement. "I welcome the work that the WTA and ITF are doing with Threat Matrix to identify and take action against the abusers, whose behaviour is so often linked to gambling. But it's not enough on its own. "It's time for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle the problem at its source and act to protect everyone facing these threats."
