Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was given a thoughtful cake by his team on Friday as he celebrated his 25th birthday.
The Dutchman has been with Red Bull since the 2016 season, and he won on a magical debut with the Austrian side at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Another 30 race wins have followed since, as well as a world championship, claimed dramatically at the end of the 2021 season.
The 25-year-old comes into this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix on the verge of winning his second world title, having already beaten his tally of wins from last year.
READ: ‘You’ll end up making mistakes’: Max Verstappen sends Red Bull warning
Verstappen comes into this weekend’s race 116 points of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and he could get things wrapped up if things go his way.
He needs Leclerc to finish down in eighth or lower, provided the Red Bull driver wins with the fastest lap.
Verstappen would also need team-mate, Sergio Perez, to finish outside of the podium places, so it is more likely that the reigning champion will seal a successful defence in Japan next weekend.
He will also equal Fernando Alonso’s tally of race wins and two championships by the end of the 2022 season, in what has been a fabulous career at Milton Keynes.
Ahead of the race weekend at Marina Bay, Verstappen was presented with three cakes by his team, in one of which was a photograph reel depicting some of his best moments with Red Bull.
READ: Max Verstappen insists he’s not thinking about second title in Singapore
Verstappen’s birthday coincided with reports them themselves and Aston Martin had broken budget cap regulations last season, so Ryanair’s Twitter account could not help but have a dig.
“At least the cake budget is low cost,” was their cheeky response to Red Bull’s birthday message to Verstappen.
The FIA have labelled rumours of budget contraventions “unsubstantiated,” as they continue to look through everyone’s expenditure before handing out certificates of compliance next week.