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the law of equivalent exchange is the max thesis. you can't have imola turn one, suzuka pole, the entirety of brazil or even austin without hungary and mexico and spain. something cannot be made from nothing. it's two sides of the same coin. the same thing eating him up inside. the same choking grip of perfectionism pushing him above and beyond and occasionally over the edge

fp3, GP Monaco, 2025

GP: "And Sainz now at 2.5."

Max: "Mate, please tell me that a bit sooner, you know. In this section 2 seconds is nothing."

GP: "Lawson 15 seconds."

01/06/25 (opeightyone)

01/06/25 (FIA Official)

Since it’s simi day (first of the year - second one on 5 Jul) I’m gonna post some simi pics and rant about them

1. Ferrari pt. 1 Kimi and Toro Rosso Seb

God they hold a special place in my heart - Seb just starting out in F1, being incredibly talented and putting that Toro Rosso where it doesn’t belong (China, Japan, his first win in F1 is in Monza in a Italian team, it’s the first time we hear the German-Italian national anthem together since Michael, it’s a sign of Seb joining Ferrari) and just being a sunshine that terrorises everything

And then there’s Kimi - fighting for his championship for the (realistically) third time, there’s this kid that he’s seen around with Michael (the man he ‘took over’ in Ferrari), and it looks like he might lose this one as well (in a Ferrari - Kimi said he does not give a fuck but I do so), but NO the stars align and all his hard work and patience pays off and now he’s the champion (Ferrari’s last champion - Kimi Räikkönen the man you are)

So Kimi has been in this sports for 6 years now, and only when Seb walks in his life he wins the one thing he wanted to achieve - if that’s not fate then I don’t know what is

That’s the first part, the second part is that Kimi, well-known for his idgaf attitude, no close friends, warms up to this kid immediately and takes him under the wing - so much so that Seb explicitly says Kimi was the only one that didn’t treat him like a kid

2. Spa 2009

Not much to say except Kimi is hot as fuck on the podium, he shares his last Ferrari pt. 1 win with Seb who is now a fully grown track terror, it’s Kimi’s favourite track, and it’s their first podium together (first of many)

That fact that Spa is such a kind track to Kimi and their first podium together is in Spa means so much to me

Kimi goes off to rally and of course Seb visits him. Of course Kimi misses racing against other people (i.e. Seb)

3. Bahrain 2012

Their wheel-to-wheel battle was cool (imo Hungary 2013 was better but more on that in a sec) First podium back in F1 is of course with Seb. The bunny ear pic is the first pic of Simi that I’ve seen. Poor Romain.

See how close is Seb to Kimi? Also, just before this pic Kimi is holding onto Seb like he will never let go. And before the podium Seb blatantly checks out Kimi, like it’s not even delusion

Also they have the exact same podium in Bahrain 2013 - again, fate (poor Romain 2)

4. Spa 2012

Even without the Simi podium this was a fun race (Seb and Michael just before pit lane entry, Seb I am on my knees) as it always is with Spa. This was the press conference afterwards, where drivers that are not from a country where English is not the primary language say something short in their native language (which they should bring back) so Jenson is not there. They share a microphone. The hand size difference is so striking here I fucking love it. Kimi smiles so wide when he’s handing the microphone to Seb it hurts me. Also their knees could very well be touching here and we all know how fucking intimate that is.

5. Hungary 2013

One of their best wheel-to-wheel battle imo (I haven’t watched all of their time at Ferrari yet so if you have something let me know hehe) and then their little ‘fight’ - Seb’s love tap on Kimi. Look at Kimi and tell me he’s not in love. If he’s like that in public, imagine him and Seb chilling in private

This seems like an appropriate moment to mention Seb has not beaten Kimi in badminton, even after literal decades, and I’m guessing neither in ping pong

6. 2015 Singapore

Their first podium together as Ferrari drivers. Their little wave to each other at the end. The fact that Seb is in the team he dreamed of being with his close friend husband.

7. 2017 Hungary

Why are they holding hands? Because they are married.

8. 2018 FIA prize giving ceremony

Kimi spending the entire night keeping cameras from focusing on Seb with a cigar in his hands. Just how drunk Kimi was, how nostalgic and final this felt. Their time at Ferrari is at the end and it was really an end of an era, but this entire night felt like a great goodbye.

9. Not any point specific, but the fact that Seb retired just a year after Kimi even though he is eight years younger kinda kills me, like he only knew F1 with Kimi in it, and without him it doesn’t feel the same.

McLarenF1: Another Oscar podium trophy selfie 🤳

fp2, GP Monaco, 2025

Max: "The car is not going in reverse."

GP: "So Max, if you pull the clutch, select first gear, then back to neutral and reverse."

Max: "You think I'm stupid? Like, I tried that."

GP: "If you give reverse one more go, possible."

[OSCAR] bahrain grand prix 2025 // post quali

OSCAR PIASTRI and MAX VERSTAPPEN | Post qualifying, Spanish GP 2025 by Mark Sutton.

oscar: there will, of course, be a huge party in my honor. I will, of course, not be attending it.