Max Verstappen rejects F1 glamour: 'We all take a dump on the same toilet'

Max Verstappen, Formula 1's dominant champion, has bluntly dismissed the sport's Hollywood-style glitz, stating he finds more value in testing a race car than walking a red carpet. The Dutch driver, who earns an estimated €100 million annually, opted to test a GT car in Belgium during last year's star-studded New York premiere of the F1 movie, emphasizing his focus on performance over pretense.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's attitude starkly contrasts with Formula 1's recent push into the American entertainment mainstream and its growing celebrity culture. His rejection of the "suit and tie" persona underscores a purist, performance-driven mindset that resonates with a segment of fans who view the sport first as a competition, not a spectacle. It highlights the ongoing tension within F1 between sporting authenticity and commercial expansion.

The details:

• Verstappen made the colorful comments in the Viaplay documentary Max Verstappen - New Ground, explaining his absence from the lavish New York event.
• A Matter of Priority: "Over there [in the United States] they’re still asleep while we’re working on performance," he stated, framing his choice as a commitment to his craft over publicity.
• Red Carpet Reluctance: He explicitly said he is not the type to enjoy red carpets or feel the need to mingle with invited celebrities, distancing himself from that aspect of the F1 lifestyle.
• The Toilet Quote: The driver summarized his egalitarian view with the memorable line: "I don’t want to stand there in a suit and pretend I’m important. In the end, we all take a dump on the same toilet."
• The Spa Test: His alternative activity was testing the GT car for his own team in preparation for the 24 Hours of Spa, a session that inadvertently birthed his now-famous pseudonym, "Franz Hermann."

The big picture:

This incident is a microcosm of Verstappen's public persona: fiercely competitive, straightforward, and often indifferent to the trappings of fame. His choice to be in a race car garage rather than a movie premiere aligns with his reputation as a driver who lives and breathes racing. The spontaneous creation of the "Franz Hermann" alias—intended for anonymity but quickly leaked—further cemented his image as a racer at heart, one who seeks the track even during his time off. While F1 leverages glamour to grow its audience, Verstappen remains a compelling figure precisely because he seems untouched by it, focusing solely on the stopwatch.