Max Verstappen has taken ownership of an impressive new super-yacht.
The four-time world champion and his pregnant girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, were seen at the port of Viareggio, Italy, to receive the vessel, which Verstappen has named Unleash The Lion.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 33-metre-long yacht was ordered by Verstappen two years ago and has now been completed.
In an exclusive interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick, Verstappen discussed his chances of claiming a fifth consecutive drivers' championship in 2025.
"I don't have a crystal ball," he stated. "But if we can strengthen certain weaknesses during the winter, we will be back at the top.
"I'm not going to make any more precise predictions than that," Verstappen continued. "But hopefully more teams will be able to fight for the top spots."
The Dutchman also addressed ongoing speculation about his future at Red Bull, including rumours of a potential switch to Mercedes in 2026.
"I'm happy with where I am now," he confirmed.
"One of my conditions remains the same as always—that Helmut Marko, who discovered me and has always supported me, must stay on the team."
Separately, Auto Motor und Sport published comments from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who was asked about his conversations with Verstappen throughout 2024.
"There was never a plan," Wolff revealed. "But we always talked and kept the lines of communication open.
"At some point, he said that he wanted to stay where he was for now because it felt right to him. And I said we'd go with Kimi (Antonelli) because it felt right to us too. And now we'll see where it all takes us," Wolff concluded.
