F1 Superstars

NFL team pay tribute to F1 champion with shock Verstappen reference

Tyler Foster Tuesday 21 November 2023 22:57

Three-time reigning champion Max Verstappen received an unusual mention after his victory in Las Vegas, as his name was used by the Denver Broncos to disguise a play in an NFL game.

Formula 1 has seen a recent explosion in interest and coverage in the hotspot that is the United States market. Three races were held in the States this year, with Las Vegas following Miami and Austin.

This recent surge in American F1 races has highlighted the level of attraction the sport now has within the nation.

For the last two seasons, the face of the sport has become the dominant Dutchman, Verstappen. The Red Bull driver took his 18th victory of the season under the lights of Las Vegas and in doing so, he became the first driver to win three grands prix in the same country within a single season, having been victorious in Miami and Austin earlier this year.

Verstappen: From Vegas to the NFL

Max Verstappen's victory in Vegas came despite a five-second time-penalty for an illegal overtake

Following on from his spectacular win in Vegas, Verstappen was quickly back in the limelight of American sports, but this time for a very different reason.

The following evening, the reigning champion had his name referred to during an NFL game between the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings. At the end of the second quarter, the Broncos quarterback, Russell Wilson, called an audible play that was titled after the Dutch driver.

Broncos brought out the "Max Verstappen" audible pic.twitter.com/HidoMbH1Vg
— NFL (@NFL) November 20, 2023

Verstappen’s name could be clearly heard through the NFL’s television coverage as Wilson repeated the play twice to his team-mates. A name that might have gone unnoticed in the past to American audiences, Verstappen was clearly recognised by the co-commentator. It seems that his antics in Las Vegas the evening prior had not been forgotten.

Previously critical of the Las Vegas 'show', Max Verstappen had a change of heart come the chequered flag

Despite initially criticising the recent event in Las Vegas for its materialistic nature, by the end of the weekend Verstappen stood proudly atop the podium and had some more positive words to say about his latest trip to the United States.

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