Latest news with #FranzHermann
NZ Herald
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
Max Verstappen interview: I've told Red Bull I will be here next season
Verstappen's efforts to go incognito, entering the test under a pseudonym, 'Franz Hermann', were predictably unsuccessful. 'Well, I knew it would come out,' he says. 'I mean, I wore my own helmet so I was hardly trying to hide it. I just didn't want to be on the entry list, that's all. I didn't want people rocking up at 8am.' Breaking the GT3 lap record probably did not help his bid for anonymity, either. Verstappen says he had 'a lot of fun' at one of motor racing's most feared circuits in the world, but scotches suggestions that he might surprise everyone by taking a sabbatical next year to indulge his non-F1 passions. It would make sense in one respect, I suggest, in that it would afford him the opportunity to see how F1's new regulations shake out and which team is the most competitive. 'No,' he says firmly. 'It is not in my mind to take a year off. I know in the future I want to do other things. And I'm already, slowly, you know, tasting a bit of it. But no, I will be in F1 next year.' The question is: where? While Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, rumours that he might seek to switch teams, rumours which first surfaced in the middle of the Christian Horner saga last season, when Verstappen's father Jos and mentor Helmut Marko were both at war with his team principal, have never truly gone away. Toto Wolff, the Mercedes principal, openly courted the Dutchman during the height of that saga, before eventually promoting teenager Kimi Antonelli. But neither Antonelli nor George Russell has contracts beyond the end of this year, meaning the Brackley team remain one possible destination. Aston Martin, too, would undoubtedly pay a king's ransom to sign the fastest driver currently on the grid. So, I ask, can Verstappen categorically state he will be at Red Bull next season? 'I mean, I've said it many times,' he replies. Has he, though? Has he not said 'There is no reason to leave as long as I'm happy', or 'I'll stay as long as I'm competitive', or some variation thereof? 'Well, I've said it to the team,' he insists. 'I think that's the most important thing.' So he won't say it publicly? Surely until he does, speculation that he might leave is inevitable? 'Yeah, but I mean, we also don't know if I will wake up tomorrow, you know what I mean? You just never know. This is the thing.' Reading between the lines, it feels as if Verstappen is saying he is 90% sure he will stay but does not want to guarantee it publicly, partly to keep the pressure on Red Bull, partly in case the team suddenly fall apart over the next few races and he needs an exit strategy. That does not look as if it will happen. While Red Bull are no longer the dominant force they were two seasons ago, as it stands they are the only team other than McLaren to have won a race this season. Verstappen has taken three pole positions as well as his memorable victory in Suzuka. More importantly, he is still in title contention, sitting third in the drivers' championship, 32 points behind Oscar Piastri, albeit still with work to do. As McLaren's dominant performance in Miami showed, they are head and shoulders above their rivals in the right conditions, and competitive across the board. Advertise with NZME. 'Look, we can't always win,' Verstappen says. 'But are we happy with the pace we have in the car right now? No. I mean, I think no one is except for McLaren. And they aren't standing still, either. So we need to improve. Our one-lap pace is okay, but they have a massive advantage when the tyres start overheating. That's where everyone else is just… yeah, not on the same level.' Could the forthcoming changes to the rules on flexi-wings, due to be introduced in Barcelona later this month, be a game changer? Verstappen looks doubtful. 'It might make a little difference, but not much,' he says. More likely, he is going to need Lando Norris and Piastri to keep taking points off each other, allowing him to stay in touch while Red Bull try to close the gap. The inter-team dynamic at McLaren is certainly an interesting one. With Piastri currently on four wins to Norris' one, the pressure on the Briton is ramping up all the time. Verstappen could be excused for adding to it. But he declines to stick the boot in. 'Honestly, I think both of them are very good,' the 27-year-old replies when asked whether he now sees Piastri as the bigger threat. 'Lando, I think, has the pace. It just hasn't really come out yet over a [sustained] period of time. But I think it's still going to be a tight championship for them. I don't know where I'm going to be. I'm just trying to maximise every result. At the end of the day, we can't rely on them to make mistakes. It has to come from us.' Verstappen's reluctance to stir the pot is increasingly his preferred modus operandi. While he can be punchy when he wants to be, and quick to anger, he says he is tired of F1's constant controversies and prefers to stay out of them if he can. He does not get drawn into seemingly outlandish rumours that Horner might be fired after this race, saying: 'I have no idea where that comes from. I had people writing me like, 'what is this about?' And I was like, 'Excuse me!? I have no idea what you're talking about.' The problem is that now with social media, more and more people try to get a voice or try to act as a professional media outlet or whatever. But yeah, it's nonsense. Honestly, I really don't know where it comes from.' He refuses to react to Norris' parting shot in Miami, that Verstappen 'did not race smart', costing himself a possible podium, burning up his tyres in a pointless defensive battle with the McLaren. 'Lando can say what he wants,' he says. 'Honestly, I enjoyed it. I know it makes headlines, which is what drives the sport. But for me, it's not worth my time to try and counter that again. I race how I race.' He says he is '50-50' about next year's new regulations when he might have been expected to write off next year's cars as oil tankers which will require the drivers to 'coast' at some tracks in order to replenish battery power. Even the FIA's recent about-turn on swearing – described by Russell on Thursday as 'ridiculous' and 'strategic' on the part of the president – fails to get a rise. Verstappen was the first victim of the president's clampdown last year when he was handed what amounted to a community service order for swearing in a press conference in Singapore. 'Honestly, I'm not interested anymore,' he says. 'I live my life. As soon as I leave the paddock here, I don't think about it. I did my stuff on the Nordschleife. I have other projects going on with GT3 that I'm really passionate about. My [simulator] racing activities with Team Redline. I'm busy. That keeps me away from all the gossip or potential stuff that goes on here. I don't have any interest.' Anything that gets in the way of racing is of no interest to him. Even Brad Pitt. Verstappen says he hopes the new Hollywood film F1, released next month, is a success, but adds 'it is not something which really excites me personally', confirming that he declined to film extra scenes with Pitt himself. 'We spoke about it, but at the end of the day, it didn't really materialise. But that's fine. It's not why I'm here.' The irony, I say, is that controversy is the lifeblood of F1. His spicy on-track battles with Lewis Hamilton in 2021, or Norris last year? His furious row with 'cry baby' Russell last year? Netflix and F1 must be desperate for him to engage? 'Yeah, but then we get punished for it,' he says. 'So that's it. I don't want to get into 'you said this, he said that' arguments anymore. It's always then written up as a big controversy. I talk when I need to talk. But in general, I prefer just to live quiet, you know?'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Max Verstappen Reveals What ‘Franz Hermann' Is Really Up To at Imola
Max Verstappen arrived at the paddock for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and was immediately met with a cheeky question: 'Are you Max or are you Franz?' The reference, of course, was to his now-viral appearance at Nurburgring under the pseudonym Franz Hermann, where the Red Bull star reportedly broke a GT3 lap record during a secret test. Advertisement Without missing a beat, Verstappen delivered a perfectly dry response. 'Franz is actually having a lot of contract offers at the moment,' he said with a grin. 'So he's actually negotiating his terms for the Nordschleife.' It's another layer in the growing legend of 'Franz,' who has become an inside joke among F1 fans — and a symbol of Verstappen's quiet dominance away from the F1 spotlight. Max Verstappen talks to the media after 2025 Miami GP Sprint Casey-Imagn Images While there's been no official confirmation of his Nurburgring lap time, the story has only grown steam thanks to track insiders and comments from Red Bull's Helmut Marko. The moment also gave fans a glimpse into Verstappen's mindset into Imola — relaxed, confident, and clearly enjoying himself. Advertisement View the original article to see embedded media. Whether it's in an RB20 or a GT3 car under an alias, Verstappen continues to find new ways to make headlines — even if it's through his mysterious 'other driver.' Expect more 'Franz sightings' in the future. Related: Fans Roast Max Verstappen After He Tried Hiding as 'Franz Hermann' During Ferrari Test at Nordschleife
Telegraph
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Max Verstappen interview: I don't care about F1 dramas, even Brad Pitt film doesn't excite me
For someone who became a father two weeks ago, Max Verstappen looks surprisingly sprightly. There are no bags under his eyes when we meet in a quiet corner on the first floor of Red Bull's team home in Imola. Apparently, night feeds and nappy changes do not disagree with the four-time world champion. 'Ha, no it's been OK on that front!' he says laughing, when I put that to him, declining to elaborate on whether he is actually getting stuck into that element of parenthood. 'But no, it's been a very special time. Lily is still so tiny, obviously, and can't communicate yet. But just having your own daughter… yeah, it's been amazing.' As it happens, Verstappen appears to be on a pretty long leash. Not only was he back at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes last week doing some simulator work, he even squeezed in a trip to the Nürburgring en route home, to take part in a GT3 test in a Ferrari 296. His presence at the legendary Nordschleife circuit immediately set tongues wagging in the F1 paddock, not least because of his well-known ambitions to move into sports car racing one day. Verstappen's efforts to go incognito, entering the test under a pseudonym, 'Franz Hermann', were predictably unsuccessful. 'Well, I knew it would come out,' he says. 'I mean, I wore my own helmet so I was hardly trying to hide it. I just didn't want to be on the entry list, that's all. I didn't want people rocking up at 8am.' Having fun at the Nordschleife 🙌 Racing 👀 — Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) May 9, 2025 Breaking the GT3 lap record probably did not help his bid for anonymity, either. Verstappen says he had 'a lot of fun' at one of motor racing's most feared circuits in the world, but scotches suggestions that he might surprise everyone by taking a sabbatical next year to indulge his non-F1 passions. It would make sense in one respect, I suggest, in that it would afford him the opportunity to see how F1's new regulations shake out and which team is the most competitive. 'No,' he says firmly. 'It is not in my mind to take a year off. I know in the future I want to do other things. And I'm already, slowly, you know, tasting a bit of it. But no, I will be in F1 next year.' The question is: where? While Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, rumours that he might seek to switch teams, rumours which first surfaced in the middle of the Christian Horner saga last season, when Versteppen's father Jos and mentor Helmut Marko were both at war with his team principal, have never truly gone away. Toto Wolff, the Mercedes principal, openly courted the Dutchman during the height of that saga, before eventually promoting teenager Kimi Antonelli. But neither Antonelli nor George Russell has contracts beyond the end of this year, meaning the Brackley team remain one possible destination. Aston Martin, too, would undoubtedly pay a king's ransom to sign the fastest driver currently on the grid. So, I ask, can Verstappen categorically state he will be at Red Bull next season? 'I mean, I've said it many times,' he replies. Has he, though? Has he not said 'There is no reason to leave as long as I'm happy', or 'I'll stay as long as I'm competitive', or some variation thereof? 'Well, I've said it to the team,' he insists. 'I think that's the most important thing.' So he won't say it publicly? Surely until he does, speculation that he might leave is inevitable? 'Yeah, but I mean, we also don't know if I will wake up tomorrow, you know what I mean? You just never know. This is the thing.' Reading between the lines, it feels as if Verstappen is saying he is 90 per cent sure he will stay but does not want to guarantee it publicly, partly to keep the pressure on Red Bull, partly in case the team suddenly fall apart over the next few races and he needs an exit strategy. That does not look as if it will happen. While Red Bull are no longer the dominant force they were two seasons ago, as it stands they are the only team other than McLaren to have won a race this season. Verstappen has taken three pole positions as well as his memorable victory in Suzuka. More importantly, he is still in title contention, sitting third in the drivers' championship, 32 points behind Oscar Piastri, albeit still with work to do. As McLaren's dominant performance in Miami showed, they are head and shoulders above their rivals in the right conditions, and competitive across the board. 'Look, we can't always win,' Verstappen says. 'But are we happy with the pace we have in the car right now? No. I mean, I think no one is except for McLaren. And they aren't standing still, either. So we need to improve. Our one-lap pace is OK, but they have a massive advantage when the tyres start overheating. That's where everyone else is just… yeah, not on the same level.' Oscar Piastri takes the lead! 🟠🙌 — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 4, 2025 Could the forthcoming changes to the rules on flexi-wings, due to be introduced in Barcelona later this month, be a game changer? Verstappen looks doubtful. 'It might make a little difference, but not much,' he says. More likely, he is going to need Lando Norris and Piastri to keep taking points off each other, allowing him to stay in touch while Red Bull try to close the gap. The inter-team dynamic at McLaren is certainly an interesting one. With Piastri currently on four wins to Norris's one, the pressure on the Briton is ramping up all the time. Verstappen could be excused for adding to it. But he declines to stick the boot in. 'Honestly, I think both of them are very good,' the 27-year-old replies when asked whether he now sees Piastri as the bigger threat. 'Lando, I think, has the pace. It just hasn't really come out yet over a [sustained] period of time. But I think it's still going to be a tight championship for them. I don't know where I'm going to be. I'm just trying to maximise every result. At the end of the day, we can't rely on them to make mistakes. It has to come from us.' Verstappen's reluctance to stir the pot is increasingly his preferred modus operandi. While he can be punchy when he wants to be, and quick to anger, he says he is tired of F1's constant controversies and prefers to stay out of them if he can. He does not get drawn into seemingly outlandish rumours that Horner might be fired after this race, saying: 'I have no idea where that comes from. I had people writing me like, 'what is this about?' And I was like, 'Excuse me!? I have no idea what you're talking about.' The problem is that now with social media, more and more people try to get a voice or try to act as a professional media outlet or whatever. But yeah, it's nonsense. Honestly, I really don't know where it comes from.' He refuses to react to Norris's parting shot in Miami, that Verstappen 'did not race smart', costing himself a possible podium, burning up his tyres in a pointless defensive battle with the McLaren. 'Lando can say what he wants,' he says. 'Honestly, I enjoyed it. I know it makes headlines, which is what drives the sport. But for me, it's not worth my time to try and counter that again. I race how I race.' He says he is '50-50' about next year's new regulations when he might have been expected to write off next year's cars as oil tankers which will require the drivers to 'coast' at some tracks in order to replenish battery power. Even the FIA's recent about-turn on swearing – described by Russell on Thursday as 'ridiculous' and 'strategic' on the part of the president – fails to get a rise. Verstappen was the first victim of the president's clampdown last year when he was handed what amounted to a community service order for swearing in a press conference in Singapore. 'Honestly, I'm not interested anymore,' he says. 'I live my life. As soon as I leave the paddock here, I don't think about it. I did my stuff on the Nordschleife. I have other projects going on with GT3 that I'm really passionate about. My [simulator] racing activities with Team Redline. I'm busy. That keeps me away from all the gossip or potential stuff that goes on here. I don't have any interest.' Anything that gets in the way of racing is of no interest to him. Even Brad Pitt. Verstappen says he hopes the new Hollywood film F1, released next month, is a success, but adds 'it is not something which really excites me personally', confirming that he declined to film extra scenes with Pitt himself. 'We spoke about it, but at the end of the day, it didn't really materialise. But that's fine. It's not why I'm here.' The irony, I say, is that controversy is the lifeblood of F1. His spicy on-track battles with Lewis Hamilton in 2021, or Norris last year? His furious row with 'cry baby' Russell last year? Netflix and F1 must be desperate for him to engage? 'Yeah, but then we get punished for it,' he says. 'So that's it. I don't want to get into 'you said this, he said that' arguments anymore. It's always then written up as a big controversy. I talk when I need to talk. But in general, I prefer just to live quiet, you know?' Perhaps fatherhood has changed Verstappen after all.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fans Roast Max Verstappen After He Tried Hiding as 'Franz Hermann' During Ferrari Test at Nordschleife
Max Verstappen may be a four-time Formula 1 world champion, but even he couldn't stay hidden for long at the Nurburgring. This week, Verstappen quietly joined the official Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) test, slipping behind the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GT3. But instead of his usual branding, his car bore the name 'Franz Hermann' — a clear attempt to stay under the radar on the legendary Nordschleife. Advertisement It didn't work. Fan quickly pieced it together thanks to the Racing livery on the car and his unmistakable helmet design. 'Bro logged into his alt account today,' one fan joked as the internet lit up with memes and reactions. Another quipped , 'Wdym? I thought Franz was driving.' Max Verstappen during the 2025 Miami Grand Navarro-Imagn Images After the cat was fully out of the bag, Verstappen leaned in and confirmed his presence himself, posting, 'Having fun at the Nordschleife, Racing.' Cue the roasting. 'Where's Franz Hermann then!?' one fan asked, while another joined the fun with: 'Glad to see this sim racer get a chance on a real track.' Someone also summed up the mood perfectly: 'Why are you posting photos of Franz Hermann?' This stealth test wasn't just for laughs. Verstappen has long hinted at his desire to compete at the Nordschleife and is actively working toward the required permit. It's another step toward broadening his racing resume beyond Formula 1, with his GT3 testing and involvement in endurance events pointing toward future ambitions. Advertisement But even when he's trying to go incognito, Verstappen can't help but go viral. As one fan perfectly put it: 'Max keeping it quiet…' Expect him back in F1 action next at Imola — though don't be surprised if 'Franz Hermann' makes another appearance somewhere down the line. Related: Max Verstappen Reveals the Surprising Story Behind Naming His Daughter Lily
The Drive
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Max Verstappen Spotted at the Nurburgring Testing a Ferrari GT3 Car Under Fake Name
Max Verstappen may be preparing to enter his sidequest racing era because the four-time Formula 1 champ was caught testing a Ferrari —the Dutchman even tried to be discreet by using a pseudonym. As if that was going to work. Like a true motorsports glutton, new dad/old racer Verstappen spent his two-week break from F1 at the Nürburgring behind the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GT3 car. Although Verstappen conducted similar vehicle testing last year, this time he pretended to be someone else, using the alias 'Franz Hermann.' According ot , the holiday hot laps at the Ring weren't a surprise. Verstappen owns the eponymous race team, which competes in the GT World Challenge. The European racing series will find itself at the Nürburgring in late August. Verstappen's recent non-F1 excursion, however, was part of the test and setup sessions for the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie club racing. The championship racer has regularly communicated that his interests extend beyond F1, especially after one of his most important wins yet: being a first-time dad. 'I come here, do the best I can, go home, do other stuff, then go to the next race, try to do the best I can and go home again,' Verstappen told ESPN earlier this month. 'Like, true experience over the years, you know what to do and what not to do,' he added. 'And just divide your energy also, a bit into other things … Because at the end of the day, Formula 1 is not your whole life. It's just [a] small part.' So, what does Verstappen's GT test day in Germany mean? Absolutely nothing and possibly everything. Which translates to Red Bull boss Christian Horner essentially responding with, 'No big deal.' And the story didn't change even after Verstappen decided to come clean about his GT side hustle. 'Honestly, Max is his own man,' Horner said during an interview with Goodwood Road & Racing . 'He's got interests outside of Formula 1. He enjoys driving GT cars, simulators, LMP cars. He's very old school in many respects in that he just wants to drive, and some of the noise and circus around Formula 1 doesn't sit comfortably with him.' After the first six races of 24 this F1 season, Verstappen currently sits in third place, but it's in no way anyone's championship to win or lose. At least not yet. Following last weekend's Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen is 32 points behind leader Oscar Piastri and 16 points behind Lando Norris. There's still plenty of racing left, and even if not, Verstappen probably wouldn't care as much as we think regarding his place in the standings. '[Max is] unique in that sense that Formula 1 doesn't define him,' said Horner. 'He's doing it because he enjoys and loves it, and as soon as that enjoyment and love dips, he will go and do something else.' Whether that something else is a seat in a Ferrari GT3 car or any other racing series is anyone's guess, except Verstappen's. Beverly Braga has enjoyed an eventful career as a Swiss Army knife, having held roles as an after-school teacher, film critic, PR manager, transcriber, and video producer – to name a few. She is currently a communications consultant and freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets covering automotive, entertainment, lifestyle, and food & beverage. Beverly grew up in Hawaii but roots for Washington, D.C., sports teams.
