Lack of a Peculiar Daniel Ricciardo Attribute Left Max Verstappen Exposed to Nike’s Sharp Business Move

For drivers, Formula 1 means business both on and off track. Capitalizing on their good names and popularity, several drivers such as Niki Lauda, Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris have gone about doing their passion project. The reigning champion Max Verstappen, who intended to launch his own line of clothing “Max 1” recently planned a similar move in a similar direction. However, his plans were spoiled by Nike. 

Many points to Max Verstappen’s personal brand’s low value as the cause of his failure, drawing parallels between it and Daniel Ricciardo‘s. How did Ricciardo make it successful? Through his reputation and branding. The branding of the name Danny Ric carries a charming smile and a friendly charisma. The Aussie and Red Bull’s third driver is now quite a successful entrepreneur who ensured that his hefty $18 million check from McLaren is put to good use. 

This is a characteristic where Max Verstappen has fallen behind the other half of Maxiel. As analyzed by Vincenzo Landino in his podcast, he said, “He’s spent a lot of time building up that personality, being friendly. Not that Max is unfriendly, and that’s not my intention there, but Max comes across as more stoic and aloof and whatnot, focused on racing, which is great, but it’s like, okay, hey, now you need to focus on building your brand. So he does.”

“Some things have to change because you do want to become a little bit more likable by more than just your fan base. You kind of want to be liked by everybody. Who hates Danny Ric, right? Nobody.”

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Truly, Daniel Ricciardo has made a name for himself. Even when compared to Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen falls behind in building his name. Having understood his branding image issue, let’s understand the move that Nike took against Max. 

What happened between Max Verstappen and Nike?

Max Verstappen, the current Formula 1 World Champion, has faced a setback in his plans to launch his own clothing brand, “Max 1,” due to a trademark infringement claim made by Nike. The sportswear giant argued that the name was too similar to their own “Air Max 1” line of limited edition sneakers, which could cause confusion among consumers. The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) sided with Nike and prevented Verstappen from using the name for his brand.

Verstappen had applied for a trademark for the brand, but Nike launched legal action to protect their exclusive right to the “Air Max One” brand, which was already trademarked. As a result, Verstappen had to pay Nike a minimal cost of $1300 in legal fees, as per Motorsport Week.

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Verstappen’s ambition to exploit his name in the fashion industry may not materialize unless he finds a new name for his brand. Verstappen had planned to launch a sporting brand dealing in vintage and stylish clothing merchandise. Despite the setback, Verstappen’s success on the track continues, making him one of the top drivers in Formula 1, earning a lot of money driving his car.