FIA and Norris MOCKED in Verstappen drive as F1 title rivalry heats up

Max Verstappen's fans have stoked the ongoing competitive tension between the Dutchman and championship rival Lando Norris whilst also taking a shot at the FIA, after he participated in a 23-hour endurance charity sim racing event.

Verstappen raced for Team Redline in the Race for Mental Health, which was organised by prominent YouTuber and sim racing personality Jimmy Broadbent.

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The Dutchman drove a fan-designed livery that subtly mocked championship rival Norris and the FIA.

Verstappen currently holds a 62-point lead over Norris in the championship standings with just three races to go, following a tumultuous month of on-track battles between the pair.

Verstappen's Redline livery

One of the standout elements of the car’s design was displayed on the bonnet.

It was an image of McLaren’s Norris running wide at Turn 1 during the Brazilian Grand Prix, captioned 'Think Different' - following similar memes made to Mercedes drivers based on an iconic Apple slogan.

Also emblazoned on the left side of the livery was a graphic of a 10-second penalty notification, referencing the FIA’s penalty system. This follows Verstappen's two 10-second penalties at the Mexican Grand Prix.

To complete the look, a portrait of Mercedes driver George Russell could be seen next to a shot of Woody from Toy Story, adding further humour to the design.

The livery for Team Redline (Max's team) in the 23HR Race for mental health 💀😭 pic.twitter.com/jValOLpu5G

— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) November 9, 2024

Broadbent, the organiser, expressed his pride in the race, which is now a staple in the sim racing community following what was the sixth edition of its kind.

He emphasised the event's personal importance on the race's fundraising page: "This race is near and dear to me," he said. "I (like many others) have suffered with my own mental health issues and found charities like Mind to be invaluable.

"My proudest achievement to date is that our community has raised nearly £300k for this cause…it’s hard to overstate just how much of a difference that makes."

Following the race’s conclusion, Broadbent took to X to announce the event’s success, with over £103,000 raised for Mind Charity.

"What a crazy last hour," Broadbent wrote.

"We went from about £70k all the way to £93k, smashing our previous record! Including gift aid takes our total for this event to £103,000… I am infinitely proud of this community. Thank you."

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