Red Bull reacts as F1's official timesheet uses "Franz Hermann" instead of Max Verstappen's name after Imola GP FP1
Max Verstappen was missing from F1's official FP1 session timesheet in Imola as they used his pseudonym "Franz Hermann." The joke went viral as Red Bull reacted to it through a comment on Instagram.
The Imola Grand Prix kicked off on Friday with the FP1 session. McLaren again dominated the timesheet as Oscar Piastri registered the fastest lap time of 1:16.545, with Lando Norris behind him at P2, just over three hundredths slower than his teammate.
Interestingly, Williams' Carlos Sainz ranked P3, just two thousandths of a second slower than Norris. Verstappen, meanwhile, slipped to P7 as he lacked significant pace to finish higher.
Moreover, his name was listed as "Franz Hermann," a pseudonym recently used during a secret GT3 test.
As the timesheet posted on F1's official handle went viral, Red Bull reacted to it and commented:
"These Franz posts are getting out of hand 😅👀."
![Red Bull's comment on F1's post [Image Source: @f1/Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/eec1b-17474035315877-1920.jpg?w=500)
The name "Franz Hermann" was first used by Max Verstappen at a secret GT3 test at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. He used the fake name to avoid public attention, though fans recognized him through the original name imprinted on his racing suit and crash helmet.
He tested a Ferrari 296 GT3 car and apparently set a new lap time record. Notably, the Nordschleife circuit is believed to be one of the most dangerous tracks in motorsports. F1 racing was discounted there after Niki Lauda’s near-fatal crash in 1976.
Meanwhile, for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Red Bull has introduced a major upgrade package. They've brought a new rear suspension, engine cover and rear corner to improve aerodynamic efficiency.
Verstappen is lagging 32 points behind Oscar Piastri in the title race. Without improvement in RB21's performance, he is unlikely to challenge the McLaren duo.
Max Verstappen unhappy with drifting in FP1 session of Imola GP
The first free practice session of the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix wasn't a smooth ride for four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Despite Red Bull bringing multiple upgrades, he complained on team radio.
"I can't rely on the rear, drifting everywhere," Verstappen said on the radio.
Interestingly, according to Racingnews365, Red Bull configured different aerodynamic setups for Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda. They reportedly had different nose and front wing designs, with Tsunoda also having the new floor upgrade that his teammate had in Miami.
This experiment comes after Red Bull brought in an upgrade package. The data collected from different setups could likely help in understanding what works best for RB21, and accordingly, the engineers can find the right setup for the qualifying session on Saturday.
Red Bull is placed P3 in the constructors' championship with 105 points in six races, out of which 99 points belong to Verstappen alone.