Formula 1 News: Large team oversee’s the ‘Verstappen-brand’

(GMM) Max Verstappen’s personal marketing team that looks over the Verstappen-Brand has swollen to no fewer than 35 people – and they are even beginning to look beyond his Formula 1 career.

Verstappen.com is headed by its CEO Nico de Jong out of an impressive facility in Limburg, and he told the Dutch magazine Formule 1 that he intends to develop the brand long beyond Max’s 2028 contract with Red Bull.

“What makes this company unique is that it revolves around one person, who will sooner or later stop racing,” he said.

One aspect of the operation now is Verstappen.com Racing, supporting drivers in lower categories – with a selection of those cars even being tested privately by Max and his father Jos at the Portimao circuit this week.

“It is not our ambition to close the doors here when Max stops racing,” de Jong insisted, referring in part to the triple world champion’s plans to eventually run his own GT3 team.

“If Max says I want to continue in fashion, then that is also an option,” de Jong added. “Or he continues with sim racing or karting centers. Or an F1 department store, that is also possible.

“Because we know how to play the game in terms of purchasing, sales and marketing. We can do that for one driver, but we could also do that for multiple drivers.

“In short, the whole game is open, but it is clear that we are already thinking about it.”

De Jong admits, however, that a Max Verstappen fashion brand is unlikely.

“That sounds more logical to me with men like Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda or Pierre Gasly than with Max,” he said. “Because Max is purely into racing, that’s what he lives for.”

For the time being, though, Verstappen’s focus is on dominating in Formula 1. “And Max is far from finished winning,” de Jong concluded.