Max Verstappen has taken legal action by trademarking an iconic saying following a Lando Norris comment earlier this season.
Norris and Verstappen are currently embroiled in a thrilling championship battle, with Norris' supremely quick McLaren allowing him to close the gap to the Dutchman to 52 points with just six races remaining.
The pair have forged a fierce rivalry on track in 2024, as well as remaining close friends off it, with their respective teams also battling hard for the constructors' championship.
One of those victories came in Verstappen's backyard, at the Dutch Grand Prix back in August.
Norris steamed to victory over Verstappen by over 20 seconds, further flexing McLaren's muscles following a two-season period of supreme Red Bull dominance.
In victory, Norris quoted Verstappen's favourite winning phrase, stating 'simply lovely' over his team radio at the fall of the chequered flag. Norris later explained that this was not meant to be a 'dig' aimed at Verstappen, and he was just trying to have 'fun'.
Although Norris is under no legal threat from Verstappen, the world champion has gone to unusual lengths to prevent his rivals and others from using his catchphrase more broadly after trademarking it for potential brand use.
It has been revealed that zero oppositions have been received to his trademark application so far, and the process is set to be completed in November.
It's unclear what Verstappen wants the 'simply lovely' trademark for, but the three-time world champion does have a highly-successful range of merchandise on his Verstappen.com website, as well as owning Team Redline, a successful sim racing team.
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itznotgareOctober 8, 2024, 9:12
7
stop spreading misinfo. Max has had it trademarked since May because of his new merch line.
OnTheFenceOctober 8, 2024, 11:32
13
This is not Verstappens saying. It comes from a series of porn videos from a few years ago. What a whopper using it and not thinking anyone would know where it came from. You can't trademark simply lovely as anyone can say it.
BarryBeeson04October 8, 2024, 14:21
8
It's simply lovely when any driver, squeezes all the grip possible from a Pirelli.
PrivateGroup16October 8, 2024, 18:31
7
Which are the three remaining races , as I count six races left in the season,
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stop spreading misinfo. Max has had it trademarked since May because of his new merch line.
This is not Verstappens saying. It comes from a series of porn videos from a few years ago. What a whopper using it and not thinking anyone would know where it came from. You can't trademark simply lovely as anyone can say it.
It's simply lovely when any driver, squeezes all the grip possible from a Pirelli.
Which are the three remaining races , as I count six races left in the season,