Max Verstappen has a pretty love-hate relationship with Mercedes. The rivalry on the track translates to love off the track as Max almost named his two cats after his rivals! Although he later revealed that he had named them Jimmy and Sassy, the fans will always remember the two as Lewis and Toto.
Recently, Kelly Piquet, Max’s girlfriend, posted a picture of Lewis and Toto cuddling. Eh… Jimmy and Sassy. The adorable picture had the comments section filled with Lewis and Toto comments, referencing Max’s joke.
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Earlier this year, Max Verstappen took part in a sim race; while he was playing, the cats crawled around his pedals, disturbing him, “F*ck off! No! Oh god.” As the cats crawled around the wires and knocked over things, the host asked Verstappen what he had named them. The Dutchman laughed and replied, “we’ll call them Lewis and Toto.”
The joke stuck around although Max had revealed their actual names during the stream. He holds them quite dear, having grown up surrounded by various pets at home. He explained the meaning behind their names, “Jimmy- because you’ve got Jimmy’z in Monaco, the club. And you’ve got Sass, so we call the female Sassy.”
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Max Verstappen – the cool cat in F1
While the feline Lewis and Toto may trouble Max a lot, the real duo on the paddock doesn’t seem to be getting in the Dutchman’s hair. Leaving America after doubling his lead in the championship, Verstappen seems far from the volatile personality he once was.
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Instead, even after crossing the checkered flag in Austin, his team radio was a simple, “Ha Ha! We did it boys!” barring screams and roars of victory. Taking the championship battle in its stride looks good for its leader.
The Red Bull driver had once said, “I know that if my car is fast enough until the end of the season, I will win the championship, but if it’s not, then we probably won’t win it. At the end of the day, it’s not going to change my world.”
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Maintaining his composure, Verstappen now looks ahead to a triple-header; one in which the first two circuits are Red Bull hotbeds. Will this be an attitude we see till Abu Dhabi, a place where he might cross the line as the 2021 champion?
Watch this story: Top 5 wins of Max Verstappen’s F1 career