Max Verstappen Tipped to Kill F1’s $2.5B Charm as Disdain for Brad Pitt & Co. Dubbed Alarming

The 2023 Las Vegas GP marks a huge commitment from the sport to the growth of Formula 1 in the United States. After all, they have spent more than 700M to fulfill the long-standing dream of racing on the Las Vegas Strip! This number would look scary to any sports organization, but after bringing in $2.57 billion last year, the sport is looking to expand even further into the US Market, with the Miami Grand Prix giving us a glimpse of the celebrity fever we’re going to get as we head into the Las Vegas GP.

A big reason behind F1’s popularity boom in the United States is Netflix’s Drive to Survive, which is set to release its sixth season in early 2024. But it would be naïve to leave out Lewis Hamilton’s influence on the sport as an ambassador. Nowadays, we see most drivers on GQ or a podcast, etc. but the person paving the way has always been Hamilton, from his early run-ins with celebrities to producing a film with an Oscar-winning star. However, when Hamilton eventually passes the baton to Max Verstappen, things will be more complicated!

Max Verstappen has no desire to be Formula 1’s poster boy

Even though Lewis Hamilton is one of the highest-paid drivers of the sport, he’s arguably given back the most, not just on track but also through his media adventures. He’s even producing a movie with Brad Pitt, that’s going to be directed by Top Gun: Maverick director, Joseph Kosinski. The Briton is also a common guest on talk shows and doesn’t shy away from the glitz and glamour, building a mega-brand out of himself. So it’s safe to see why Hamilton is the golden boy regarding revenues for Formula 1, especially in the USA.

But if it were up to Max Verstappen, there would be more racing with zero to little off-track entertainment, sidelining Hamilton’s A-list connections. In his recent interview with Time, the three-time champion reflected on the increasing ‘need’ to mingle with celebrities. “I have no desire to be able to hang out with famous movie stars” – unlike his 2021 rival, Verstappen has always remained laser-focused on the task at hand, whether it’s racing on the track or the sim. While this approach, of course, pays off through his dominance. However, it left fans feeling rather dull every weekend.

A senior research analyst from Rosenblatt Securities, Barton Crockett, was quoted by Time – “As great as Verstappen is, right now he looks like the biggest risk to the business.” – the man analyzing Liberty Media’s stock performance seemed to allude to Verstappen’s stoic nature as a threat to the business. Although the whole point of racing is to dominate the competition, Red Bull and Verstappen’s never-ending dominance has come at a cost for Liberty Media, with the numbers dwindling by the minute due to one man winning it all and giving a cold shoulder to the media.

READ MORE: “Don’t Know Where We Go from Here”: $140,000,000 Brad Pitt Starrer in Limbo as Lewis Hamilton Issues Update

Although Max Verstappen is involved with the community through his sim-racing streams and Team Redline, the Dutchman has no interest in the glitz and glamour. Whilst some see this as the characteristics of a true racer, others think Verstappen could take a page out of Hamilton’s book. But what exactly is Hamilton cooking up with Brad Pitt?

What do we know so far about Brad Pitt and Hamilton’s movie?

During Lewis Hamilton’s home race at Silverstone, Brad Pitt and co-star Damson Idris were spotted filming for Apple and Hamilton’s newest venture – an untitled Formula 1 movie revolving around fictional racer Sonny Hayes. The Academy-award-winning actor took some time to speak to Martin Brundle from SkySports about his upcoming movie and how it feels to be at the home of British Motor racing.

Pitt shared, “It’s all been great. The vibe is amazing, to get to be part of it and tell our story. The teams have opened their doors to us.” – the 59-year-old was spotted wearing the fictional teams’ colors, and shed light on the plot story. “A guy who raced in the 1990s… who has a horrible crash, craps out and disappears, then he’s racing in other disciplines. His friend, played by Javier Bardem, he’s a team owner, contacts him. They’re a last place team, they’re 21-22 on the grid, they’ve never scored a point. But they have a young phenom, played by Damson Idris, and they bring me in as kind of a Hail Mary and hijinks ensue. Tell you what’s amazing about it — there are cameras mounted all over the car — you’ve never seen speed, you’ve never seen just the G-forces like this. It’s really, really exciting.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Toto Wolff Vouches to Steal Thunder from $146,000,000,000 Giants Despite Them Paving the Way for Lewis Hamilton-Brad Pitt Venture

The film is being produced with help from all ten teams, the FIA, and Formula 1 management. A classic rookie-versus-veteran story, the LH Army is gearing up for Hamilton’s big screenplay!