Why Max Verstappen won't follow Red Bull's famous Monaco GP swimming pool tradition

Max Verstappen has categorically ruled out any prospect of diving into Red Bull’s famous hospitality pool as he recounted an incident from a previous season which left him disgusted. 

For years, the spectacular Red Bull Energy station has been the centre of the Milton Keynes outfit’s post-Monaco Grand Prix celebrations. The time-honoured tradition of team personnel and drivers hurling themselves into the swimming pool has provided some of the championship’s most iconic photos – Daniel Ricciardo’s 2018 celebrations come to mind.

But Verstappen has firmly shot down any chance of him following in the footsteps of previous Red Bull Monaco winners. 

When Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar confirmed that he would jump into the pool if he won on Sunday, joking, “I’m going naked,” Verstappen explained why he wouldn’t. 

“So last year, I saw a guy literally take his socks off, right? And you know sometimes when you have socks, they leave behind the residue, the little blue fluff or whatever? He put his feet in the water, with the fluff on his feet,” he said in a video posted to the Red Bull Instagram account.

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“So if you win, good luck. I will be watching you, but I’m not jumping in the water.”

Verstappen has won the Monaco Grand Prix twice previously in 2021 and 2023. The Dutchman currently sits seventh in the drivers’ standings with 43 points after the opening five rounds. He will be hoping to pose a threat to Ferrari, which is expected to be strong around the streets of Monte Carlo. 

The Maranello outfit topped the timesheets in the opening two practice sessions, and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was on top in FP3. Verstappen finished FP1 and FP2 in third and FP3 in fifth.

The Monaco Grand Prix will take place on Sunday 7 June at 3pm local time (2pm UK time).

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