F1 fans take playful jabs at Carlos Sainz’s gift to Max Verstappen: “All he got him was a plastic toy”

After the conclusion of the last race of this season, drivers embraced the festive spirit this Christmas in a traditional way. The drivers were seen partaking in the game of “Secret Santa” as the atmosphere buzzed with excitement.

As the drivers exchanged presents, the guessing game ensued, with each of them attempting to unfold the mystery of their secret Santa. However, not all the gifts were met with equal appreciation from the spectators. Among the various exchanges, it was Carlos Sainz’s choice of a gift for Max Verstappen that gathered the most attention and perhaps raised a few eyebrows.

Unimpressed fans mock Sainz’s gift choice for Verstappen

Various opinions emerged regarding the exchange of presents among the drivers; however, Sainz’s gift to Verstappen left the spectators in utter disappointment. Carlos Sainz gifted Max Verstappen with a mini arcade setup, as shown in a viral video of Verstappen observing his brand-new gift.

The thoughtful gift from the Spanish driver was aimed carefully due to Verstappen’s likeliness to enjoy old-school tracks. Sainz shared his sentiment in a short note, stating, “Given you enjoy old school tracks as much as I do, I hope you enjoy the vintage present.”

Verstappen, in a heartwarming gesture, adorned Sainz’s gift near his gaming setup. However, not all the reactions to the gift were universally positive. A video of the exchange went viral, featuring Verstappen explaining to Penelope how to use the arcade mini-setup. Although some fans, like Ponden, expressed their dissatisfaction, describing Sainz’s gift as merely a “plastic toy” for the newly dominant force of the industry and highlighting varying perspectives on the Secret Santa gesture.

Conversely, rather than merely criticizing Sainz’s chosen gift, the spectators have given him a range of alternatives to the Spaniard. For example, fans like Willow recommended a witty approach in the comment section, suggesting that the 29-year-old could have presented the driver with a custom t-shirt that states, “Nobody’s Perfect,” subtly mentioning the Dutch sensation’s impressive winning streak.

While opinions on each of the gifts received by the drivers differed, all of them had a wonderful quality to spend with each other, thanks to Christmas eve.

Max Verstappen surprises Valtteri Bottas with cheeky secret Santa gift

While everyone thought of a meaningful gift, Max Verstappen took a humorous approach to gifting Valtteri Bottas with a book that left everyone in laughter. The Dutch sensation decided to present Bottas with a copy of “Museum Bums: A Cheeky Look at Butts in Art.”

The gift was mainly inspired by Bottas’s recent venture—a limited edition naked calendar for 2024 aimed at raising funds for prostate cancer research.

Verstappen creatively incorporated Bottas’s face into some of the amusing images within the book. The result was a hilarious fusion of art and humor that had both fans and drivers alike bursting into laughter.

Bottas, initially baffled by Verstappen’s actions, said, “Interesting.”

“‘A simply lovely look at butts in art.”

“So it’s a book about art… and butts. It says, ‘Have a cracking Christmas’. So there’s existing art for those, but then I put it on top of them. It’s really creative, actually.”

What are your opinions regarding the relationship between the drivers on the grid? Tell us in the comment section below.