It is no secret that Max Verstappen is not a fan of social media platforms and the over-the-top nature of people engaging on those platforms. The 27-year-old detests some of the promotional activities he has to engage in with Formula 1 and Red Bull on Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok.
While some of these features and activities are fun and he enjoys them, it can go a bit overboard in terms of silliness while filming short form videos on TikTok. Certainly doesn’t suit the standard of an F1 World Champion driver!
So, Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has taken it upon himself to warn Red Bull about reducing their TikTok video content around the four-time world champion.
While Verstappen will continue to be a part of the Austrian team’s regular features on YouTube and Instagram, TikTok seems to be a platform the Dutchman’s camp would like to dissociate with for a very straightforward reason.
Vermeulen told Formule1.nl that they want to protect Verstappen’s brand image, as “big brands like Oracle, Tag Heuer and Heineken invest a lot of money in global campaigns around Max. There are buses driving around in the center of Melbourne with Max’s image on it, it all looks slick,” he said.
“Then it doesn’t fit when I see a video on TikTok where Max has to pop balloons. You don’t make those kinds of videos with a four-time world champion,” Vermeulen added.
Max Verstappen arriving at the Paddock with his manager Raymond Vermeulen. #AusGP #AustralianGP #RedBullRacing #F1 pic.twitter.com/3h6jPgcCnn
— Lucho Yoma (@LucianoYoma) March 13, 2025
Even though a bit blunt, Vermeulen makes a strong point and his argument is quite fitting to what Verstappen himself feels about these marketing activities now that he has become the face of F1 globally.
Verstappen wants to pick and choose what he does
Currently, Verstappen is the highest-paid driver in F1 even after Lewis Hamilton’s big money move to Ferrari. Last year, his annual salary, including bonuses, was around $75 million. In 2025, his base pay has already increased from $60 million to $65 million.
On top of that, the sponsor brands that Vermeulen mentioned also contribute further to the Dutchman’s income besides his F1 earnings. Brands like EA Sports, Heineken, Viaplay, Tag Heuer have been capitalizing on Verstappen’s popularity by featuring him in endorsements which garner significant spotlight globally.
All these earnings have boosted the 27-year-old’s net worth massively in the past few years. Per RacingNews365, Verstappen’s net worth is around $210 million approximately. Back when he wasn’t a world champion, this number was definitely low and Verstappen did not hold back in expressing himself, on and off the track.
However, as time has passed by, the Red Bull driver has matured and become more diplomatic besides attaining championship success. So, naturally he won’t want to get involved in making TikTok videos for his team’s marketing campaigns.
“I have done a lot of that kind of thing. Writing off caravans with Daniel Ricciardo on a film day in Spielberg, for example, that was a lot of fun. But back then the world was a bit different than it is now. And you do something like that once,” he said in a private media session with the Dutch media in Melbourne.
Verstappen concluded by saying that he would want to be more “selective” in all of his off-track activities to safeguard his image as a multiple F1 world champion and after having spent 10 years in the sport.
