Red Bull’s ace Max Verstappen spotted testing Ferrari under fake name “Franz Hermann"

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 10, 2025, 09:24 IST

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull's star driver, was spotted testing a Ferrari 296 GT3 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife under the pseudonym "Franz Hermann," raising eyebrows among racing enthusiasts. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda is earning praise from Red Bull's Chief Engineer, Paul Monaghan, for his performance and team spirit, showing promising potential alongside Verstappen.

Red Bull’s ace Max Verstappen spotted testing Ferrari under fake name “Franz Hermann"

Max Verstappen drove a Ferrari under the alias “Franz Hermann,” surprising fans as he races for Red Bull in Formula 1. (Credit: Instagram)

With Formula 1 weekends heating up the entire paddock, drivers often find activities they could do, apart from being on the field. Recently, the four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen, also found an interesting activity to do, where he was seen driving a Ferrari — while he races for Red Bull. What was even more interesting was that he used a fake name, “Franz Hermann,” during the test.

Max Verstappen spotted testing Ferrari

This was spotted at the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife, also known as the “Green Hell,” which is considered a very tough and legendary race track.

Operation Sindoor

Here, Red Bull’s ace Max Verstappen was seen testing a Ferrari 296 GT3 car, that is managed by the Emil Frey Racing team. His fake name even appeared on the side of the car, as per Albat.com.

While it is very unusual for fans to see a Red Bull driver behind the wheel of a Ferrari, especially when Red Bull’s engine partners are Honda and Ford. This mysterious event has caught a lot of attention from racing fans around the world.

Yuki Tsunoda praised by Red Bull’s Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan

While Yuki Tsunoda has had a good run with Red Bull’s main team, Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan says he’s fitting in nicely. Tsunoda has done well in qualifying and scored points in two of the last three races, showing good promise so far. Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, where Tsunoda also scored points in the Sprint, Monaghan said:“He seems to be settling in really well, actually. It’s not the easiest circumstances to step into. He came in, he’s been forthright in his feedback, he’s been courteous, he’s been a good team member. He’s been a little bit unlucky at times, lucky at others… He’s finding his feet.”Further, he said:“He’s not afraid to speak his mind, he states what he wants and what he doesn’t like, which is good. He’s in the team, he’s a good member of it, and he’ll be fine. He seems able to avoid the intimidation of being Max’s team mate at the moment, so that’s really good. I’m impressed. He’s got more than a spine to him.”Also Read: Is Red Bull hiding something? McLaren’s FIA complaints fuel growing paddock suspicions

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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