F1 North Pole Grand Prix - Max Verstappen's Christmas wish

Verstappen wearing a Christmas hat — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

F1 North Pole Grand Prix - Max Verstappen's Christmas wish

Verstappen's dry humour strikes again

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 24 December 2025 10:56

Max Verstappen doesn't want another flashy F1 race like Las Vegas for Christmas - and honestly after this year's race who could blame him.

A whole host of countries are clamouring to join the F1 calendar, with interest from Thailand, Rwanda and South Africa – to name but a few – but so far the four-time world champion isn't impressed with any of them.

The question of his preferred location on the F1 calendar was raised to Verstappen in Las Vegas. But, as the old saying goes, if you want a serious answer don't ask Max Verstappen a question.

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Speaking during a press conference, Verstappen was asked: "If it was up to you, what would be the next crazy location, place that you could imagine a Formula 1 race?”

“North Pole. Yeah."

Mind you, stewarding a North Pole Grand Prix would be a nightmare. Where does it state in the regulations the penalty for penguins on the track? Do Pirelli have icy intermediate tyres? Will Mercedes have to invest in a woolly jumper-thermal technology to keep warm in the cockpit? It's all too much!

Didn't think of the practicalities, did you Max, huh? Typical, giving the FIA more work to do over Christmas.

If you want a serious answer, ask George

Ever the diligent interviewee Russell, who was in the same press conference, gave a serious but predictable answer.

“London, I guess. I don’t think anybody could imagine a street race in London, but nobody probably could imagine a street race here in Vegas. So yeah, I’d like to see that," he said.

Well, it beats a King's Lynn Grand Prix, that's for sure.

Fernando Alonso, also in attendance, got a little greedy (don't we all at Christmas) and asked for another race in Spain, because Madrid and Barcelona are clearly not enough.

“Yeah, my hometown. And my go-kart track, making it a bit bigger. It’s unthinkable, so maybe this place was unthinkable as well,” he concluded.

F1 Max Verstappen