Under severe pressure from McLaren rival Lando Norris, who has reduced the gap of the championship leader to just 52 points, Verstappen must rediscover the form which has deserted him in recent months if he is to retain his title.
The Red Bull driver has allowed Norris to chip away at his advantage, and with just six races remaining, is well-positioned to overhaul the three-time champion.
Norris has enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2024, clinching victories in Miami, the Netherlands, and most recently, Singapore.
His triumph at Verstappen's home grand prix in August underlined his status as a realistic title contender, and in declaring his win 'simply lovely' over team radio, quoted a phrase commonly used by the Red Bull star.
It was revealed this month that Verstappen has now trademarked the term in an effort to prevent his rivals using it.
Following some uncertainty over why he opted to take that somewhat unusual course of action, a new development has shone a light on his reasoning.
Taking to X, the 27-year-old posted a link to his own website, and attached an image of him wearing a top with 'Simply Lovely' across the front, an item fans can now get their hands on along with other merchandise sporting the 61-time race winner's famous catchphrase.