Winning a world title is something that most drivers can only dream of, so it’s only fair to celebrate accordingly.
This is something that now two-time world champion Max Verstappen clearly agrees with, after videos on his friend’s Instagram story caught the 25-year-old partying with cake and trays of shots alongside friends, including McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Now in Austin for the second American Grand Prix, Verstappen’s closest competitor Charles Leclerc has poked fun and the Dutchman by asking if he feels ‘fresh again’, referring to the potential hangover Max may have felt after the party.
The Monegasque driver has been the only driver to trouble Verstappen this season other than his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, but ultimately fell short, with the results from the Japanese Grand Prix confirming the Dutchman can no longer be caught.
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At one point it looked as if Leclerc would finally have the chance to battle for the title and take Verstappen all the way to the end, just like Lewis Hamilton the season prior.
The Ferrari driver took the win at the season opener in Bahrain while Verstappen picked up a DNF, followed by more strong results, and at one point was even seen as the favourite for the title, as Ferrari seemed to have mastered the new regulations.
It was not to be however with Ferrari shooting themselves in the foot on numerous occasions.
Strange strategy calls and mechanical failures resulting in DNF’s put Ferrari’s golden boy out of the title reckoning, but evidently Leclerc is still in high spirits.
The joke between the two might nod to the notion that this has been a very different title race to last season, with Verstappen claiming that this was a much more respectful battle that his fight with Hamilton in 2021.
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“We are hard competitors on the track and will always try to beat each other which I think is very normal, but outside of it, you can have a good time as well.
“That’s what I have really enjoyed about this year,” Verstappen said back in August.
These comments, while coming as a compliment to Leclerc, also come as a dig at Hamilton for how heated their title fight in 2021 became, with the pairs relationship being hostile at best and described by some as ‘irreversible’.
“Let’s say it like this, I would not be on a table on Saturday night having a laugh [with Mercedes],” he added.