Just don’t do it, said the iconic brand Nike to Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, aiming at glory outside the track. In 1984, the brand signed a rookie Michael Jordan for $2.5 million to endorse their brand, which looked nothing like what it does today. A rebellious Jordan who flouted NBA rules to keep wearing the brand. It eventually put them on the trajectory and, currently, their value is at $187 billion. However, the F1 double champion hasn’t capitalized on the right moves, which benefitted the basketball legend. His dream, unlike his track activities, didn’t see the checkered flag.

What was the dream? Owning a brand and probably capitalizing on the popularity he is gaining sitting at the helm of Formula 1. It is not an unknown fact that branding and sporting are used interchangeably to benefit each other. While a brand like Uniqlo blows up after a unique collaboration with the legend of tennis, Roger Federer, others like Lewis Hamilton, have established their own like +44 World. Verstappen harbored similar aspirations. But alas, the brand whose name’s literal translation means ‘the Greek goddess of victory’ may see him lose the battle.

In The VF1 Show with VF and Vincenzo podcast, the host said in confusion, “Who on Max’s side didn’t think about that, and to me it almost looks like there could have been an opportunity to go to Nike and say ‘Hey we have got the greatest racer of our generation right now or the future of F1’, not taking away, it wasn’t a shot on Lewis at all as I think Lewis is one of the GOATs. ‘But here I think the future of F1 this guy is gonna win maybe another four championships, five championships whatever. Hey Nike, let’s do this thing. What if he was like the Michael Jordan of F1, where he had like the Jordan brand and you have the Max brand? The Verstappen brand.’ But instead, now you have kind of pissed off Nike and you have a potential legal battle.”

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The reigning champion may now have rubbed Nike the wrong way. But let us understand why did it happen in the first place. What made the iconic brand come after the Dutchman?

What is the Max Verstappen and Nike debacle all about?

The number ‘1’ in Formula 1 is reserved for the drivers who have claimed the highest step by becoming champions. While the likes of Lewis Hamilton have not used it, Verstappen has proudly donned it for more than a year now. In furtherance of the same, he wanted to launch his brand called Max 1. This very move by the Red Bull man saw the sports equipment and apparel brand come after him.

Nike filed an objection to the name at BOIP, the trademark office for the Benelux. They argued that the name was too similar to their popular brand, Air Max. While Verstappen’s team argued that the Dutch name ‘Max’ and the ‘Max’ in Air Max were pronounced very differently, BOIP ruled in Nike’s favor, according to a report from the Limburg newspaper De Limburger.

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Do you think Verstappen will make another go to resolve it with the brand? Or will he just give up his Max 1 dreams?