The picture is essentially a Real Madrid squad shot with a Formula 1 driver in the middle. Max Verstappen stands with club legend Sergio Ramos beside him and current squad members packed around them, all posing in the pit lane at the new Madring circuit.
Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training complex sits alongside the northern section of the track, so the crossover was as much a matter of geography as of scheduling. José Mourinho had released his squad after Saturday’s 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano, a match Kylian Mbappé had all but decided inside 20 minutes with a goal and an assist.
Many of the players used the day off to walk next door.
Getfootballnewsspain’s photo report named Rodrygo, Eduardo Camavinga, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler, Brahim Díaz, Éder Militão, Denzel Dumfries and Yan Diomandé among the players who made the trip, with Mourinho also in the paddock. Formula 1’s own round-up of the weekend added Thibaut Courtois and Trent Alexander-Arnold to the guest list.
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Atlético Madrid did not miss the moment either. Verstappen was handed one of the club’s red-and-white striped shirts by David Hancko and Jan Oblak on his way to the grid.
Antonelli held on by four seconds
Verstappen did not win. Kimi Antonelli did. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver held off the Red Bull by 4.351 seconds to take the win at the newly built Madring, with Lando Norris third.
Verstappen praised Antonelli afterwards in remarks reported by the Associated Press.
“Kimi just needs to do what he’s doing. I mean, it’s fantastic, so it’s working really well,” Verstappen said.
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Antonelli, F1’s youngest ever championship leader, sounded no less relaxed about the run he is on.
“It’s great, but we’ve just got to keep pushing, keep delivering the results and, you know, just trying to do the best job I can whenever I go on track,” the Italian said.
Red Bull deal runs to 2030
Sunday was Verstappen’s first race in Spain under a fresh long-term contract. Red Bull confirmed at the Dutch Grand Prix in August that Verstappen had extended his deal through the end of the 2030 season, ending months of speculation about a switch to a rival team.
Antonelli’s Madring win pushed him 81 points clear of Mercedes teammate George Russell in the drivers’ standings with nine rounds still to run.
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