Exit Max Verstappen pseudonym Franz Hermann and enter new F1 star 'Henry Shovlin'

Verstappen, Franz, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

Racing News

Exit Max Verstappen pseudonym Franz Hermann and enter new F1 star 'Henry Shovlin'

Kimi Antonelli has a new pseudonym

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 14 December 2025 22:56

Following Max Verstappen's attempts to hide his identity earlier this year at the Nordschleife Nurburgring, another F1 star has followed suit.

Verstappen opted for the pseudonym 'Franz Hermann', when he took part in a private GT3 test, before later in the year he returned to the track as Max Verstappen to race in the event.

The Dutchman became Hermann simply to try and prevent anybody knowing it was really him, with photographers even banned from the circuit for the day.

Article continues under video

Verstappen later revealed that he wanted the name to be 'as German as it could be', and F1 made fun of the name at the next race weekend in Canada on their social media channels.

Now, it appears that another F1 star has taken inspiration from Verstappen, although they have used a different pseudonym to Franz Hermann.

One 'Henry Shovlin' took to Daytona Milton Keynes karting track to race around the circuit, putting in a lap time of 1:24.5.

Later, the track's Instagram page revealed that 'Henry Shovlin' was in fact 19-year-old Mercedes F1 racer Kimi Antonelli, who had used Mercedes' trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin's surname as inspiration for his own Hermann moment.

"This afternoon, a quiet young guy calling himself 'Henry Shovlin' showed up for a SODI D40 at Daytona Milton Keynes," they said in the post.

"Cap low. No fuss. Sat in the corner through the briefing. Lights out.

"Post-race, helmets come off in the pit lane, and the grid slowly realises who they’ve been racing as @kimi.antonelli steps back into the pavilion.

"Fastest lap of the race by three seconds in the wet. A 1:24.5, over five seconds quicker than @alex_albon. Just another afternoon at Daytona."

Verstappen cashing in on Franz Hermann

I wonder if Antonelli will also take marketing tips from Verstappen, with the four-time F1 champion cashing in on his 'new brand'.

The Dutchman's clothing brand Verstappen.com jumped at the opportunity to create Franz Hermann-inspired merchandise with Verstappen (or was it Hermann?) modelling the new line of t-shirts and sweaters.

The Franz Hermann merchandise was in hot demand, so much so that it sold out in the early hype around Hermann!

Antonelli and Mercedes may want to follow suit, with it appearing that F1 fans love it when F1 drivers go undercover and compete in more 'achievable' racing events.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Kimi Antonelli Franz Hermann