The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari — better known as Imola, the Italian town in which it’s located — has just run the last race of its current contract, and with no announcement of a new deal in the lead-up to the weekend’s event, the widespread assumption is that it will be dropped from the calendar from next season.

Kyle Larson raised eyebrows when he declared that he is a ‘better all-round driver than Max Verstappen ’ last year, but the one-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and sprint car racing icon has now doubled down on his claims. The 32-year-old sent a message to his detractors ahead of his second Indianapolis 500 attempt on Sunday.

Max Verstappen didn't hold back after rumors swirled online about his Nürburgring track record—see how he responded to GT3 driver Maro Engel.

Still, this wasn’t just any GT3 racing, because Max spent last weekend at the Nürburgring testing a Ferrari 296 GT3 under the pseudonym ‘Franz Hermann.’ Given the car was in full Verstappen.com— Max’s eponymous racing team—livery from its exploits in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, it wasn’t exactly the most discreet appearance possible.

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Max Verstappen is quietly building a racing empire behind the scenes — and it could change how future F1 talent is discovered.