How TikTok made Verstappen go from villain to hero, while Russell bombs

07:45, 14 Jun

Updated: 08:31, 14 Jun

byNorberto Mujica

The image Max Verstappen has been given by the media is that of a temperamental and maverick F1 driver, however, this image, thanks to Tik Tok, has been transformed entirely. The same, though, cannot be said of rival George Russell.

In the 2021 Formula One season Verstappen faced the fiercest fight he's ever had in the sport against none other than 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. It was this enthralling and sometimes over-the-limit battle that gave the Dutchman the image of a 'bad boy' in the media.

'Verstappen has nothing to prove to anyone'

“After the 2021 season there was this whole discourse about Max being a villain. He’s since won in the fastest car, and he’s won when he hasn’t been in the fastest car, so he has nothing to prove,” said Neha Sridhar, a content creator, in an interview with Motorsport.

“He’s garnered this new relationship with fans on TikTok as someone who’s kind and smart, who loves maps, who loves cats, is a present dad and I think that has shifted how people view him.” Indeed, the four-time world champion is constantly seen during his livestreams interacting with his girldfriend's daughter Penelope, or as he lovingly calls her, 'P.'

For Jordan Helms, content creator in New York, it's Verstappen's down to earth personality that draws people to him. In fact, she believes that Tik Tok is a 'more truthful' representation of Verstappen than even the popular Netflix reality, Drive to Survive.

“TikTok has become a better ‘reality show’ for Max than Drive to Survive, which tried to paint him as a villain."

“Fans get to see his actual personality, his off-track interactions … and that’s given him a bit of an unintentional redemption.”

Max Verstappen topped FP1 and placed P9 in Canada

'Max doesn't like the fame or the noise, whereas Russell is too into himself'

Hannah Hall, co-host of the Fan Behaviour Podcast, doesn't see even Verstappen's controversial clash with Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix playing against him in the way people perceive the Red Bull Racing driver, and she believes she know the reason for this.

“People are starting to see that all the best athletes have done something that could be considered ‘bad behaviour’ or acted out of character.”

“But Max isn’t going into his post race interview to complain about it and make it worse. A lot of people like the fame and the noise and the photographers, but that’s not Max.”

For his rival, Mercedes driver, Russell, the situation is different, Helms notes. “It isn’t always flattering when he’s seen to be complaining a lot. He also seems to be quite into himself, what he eats, the shirtless pictures and his whole ’T’ pose. It’s harmless fun, but it’s never going to come across well.”

For his part, Red Bull's tyre technician Greg Reeson has lashed out at the media for the way they protray Verstappen. Earlier on Friday a heated interview between the Dutchman and Sky Sports' journalist Ted Kravitz was cut short due to a misunderstanding between the two, which the British reporter failed to understand why.