One wave subsides, another rises.
In Shanghai, Kai disregarded team orders to overtake his teammate, blowing up the internet. Vettel's fans swallowed their anger because it was Kai's home race and his first offense. They trusted Arrivabene to handle the internal discipline.
But now, it was happening again?
This was intolerable!
If they remained polite, they would be seen as pushovers. If they stayed silent, people would think Vettel's fanbase was dead.
The rage exploded instantly!
Not just aimed at Kai, but at Arrivabene and the entire pit wall.
"You are all responsible!"
Vile comments spread like wildfire, quickly devolving into personal attacks. Sarcastic memes flooded timelines, mocking Ferrari's pit wall communications:
"Seb, Kai just drove off the track and lost a position. Give it back to him."
"Seb, Kai's engine blew up. You should retire too."
"Seb, Kai has a cold today. We decided to withdraw from the race."
And so on.
The more ridiculous, the better. Vettel's fans firmly believed Ferrari was preparing to sacrifice Vettel to groom Kai.
If they felt this crisis, imagine how Vettel felt?
The fans' heartbreak for their idol turned into pure hatred for Kai.
Unfortunately for them, they were in the minority this time.
Anyone who actually watched the race knew Vettel's tires were finished. He wasn't just holding up Kai; he was holding up everyone. After Kai passed him, Vettel pitted immediately for fresh rubber.
In other words, even if Kai hadn't overtaken, Vettel would have had to pit anyway.
Yet, Vettel refused to yield on track, showing zero team spirit, delaying Kai just like in Shanghai. If Vettel had swapped positions cleanly, could Kai have caught Verstappen?
Vettel was in the wrong, yet his fans were gaslighting the world?
Ridiculous!
Utterly ridiculous!
The race results spoke for themselves:
Ricciardo, Vettel, Magnussen, Bottas, Sainz, Hülkenberg, Leclerc.
Seven drivers finished P4 to P10.
Although Ferrari considered a one-stop for Vettel, once Bottas and Hülkenberg pitted again, Vettel had to cover them. He successfully defended P5.
This stop wasn't Ferrari forcing Vettel to yield to Kai; it was a chain reaction from the lap 1 collision with Bottas.
Frustration was understandable, but throwing mud at a teammate irrationally was not.
Neutral observers stepped in to defend Kai.
Moreover, the Italian Tifosi stood united behind Kai. They criticized Vettel's selfishness. While the young rookie was fighting for the team's best interest, what was the supposed leader doing?
Vettel had earned support over the years, but from Shanghai to France, he had repeatedly hurt the team. The Tifosi were grumbling. When Vettel's fans tried to distort reality, they enraged the hardcore Ferrari base.
Overwhelming backlash!
For once, Vettel was in the eye of the storm.
However, social media is one thing; reality is another.
In France, Kai was racing for the first time. His local fanbase couldn't compare to a four-time world champion's. Vettel's fans made sure Kai heard them.
"Booo!"
During the podium ceremony, as Kai stepped up, a chorus of boos erupted from the crowd, a sharp contrast to the cheers Hamilton received.
Even Verstappen looked shocked.
Max thought he was the ultimate villain of the paddock. Everyone attacked him—fans, drivers, media.
But it seemed the villain role had a new actor. At least Max had never been booed on the podium like this.
Boo! Woooooo!
The noise was like a low-flying fighter jet, a dark cloud pressing down. The tension snapped.
Verstappen shifted uncomfortably.
The attacks against him usually came from the media or online. He could turn off his phone, put on headphones, and disappear into his simulator.
But he couldn't imagine the attacks breaking the fourth wall, invading reality like a physical wave, baring their fangs right in his face. It felt like standing against the whole world.
What did that feel like?
Regardless of what Kai did, track matters should stay on track. He didn't deserve this.
Besides, Max didn't think Kai did anything wrong.
This scene felt familiar. What Max had gone through was happening to Kai, perhaps even worse.
Max glanced at Kai. The guy two years his junior paused, clearly surprised. He nervously rubbed his hair, glancing at Hamilton as if wondering if the veteran would offer a hand.
But Hamilton stood there smiling, motionless, seemingly oblivious to the scene.
In that brief moment of hesitation, Max saw Kai take a step forward.
What was he doing?
Max watched in disbelief as Kai walked to the front of the podium, waving to the crowd as if acknowledging adoring fans.
Max didn't understand. Was his brain overheating? They were booing him!
Kai didn't care. Wherever the noise was loudest, he waved. He even started conducting the noise—not cheers, but boos. From left to right, right to left. He turned the hostility into a concert. The reporters dropped their jaws.
What? That works?
It was absurdly funny. The crowd was booing Kai, but Kai was conducting them like a maestro.
Like a circus.
So, were the audience members monkeys or zebras?
Finally, the crowd realized something was wrong. They refused to play along. One by one, they shut up. The booing died down in the most awkward way possible.
Haha, awkward now, isn't it?
Kai stood there, shrugged with exaggerated regret, and calmly turned back to the podium.
Unscathed. Without firing a shot, he controlled the crowd perfectly.
The audience stared at Kai's relaxed figure, stunned. So, did they win or lose?
Why did it feel like, whether they booed or shut up, they lost? And lost in an embarrassing fashion?
Kai stood on the podium, a slight smile playing on his lips, looking down at the crowd. He loved it when they hated him but couldn't beat him.
That expression—bright, upright, unbothered. The crowd couldn't help it. They burst out laughing.
From boos to laughter. Effortless. Just a moment in time.
Laughter, applause, whistles.
In an instant, the atmosphere turned festive again. This was France. They appreciated someone who could take a joke and laugh at themselves.
Verstappen couldn't believe his eyes. Dealing with the media and public was always his struggle. How did Kai do that?
One wave, and boos turned to cheers.
"Max!"
Someone nudged him. Max realized he needed to step up to the podium. He walked up in a daze.
Even after the ceremony, Max was confused. He felt uneasy.
When people attacked him, he got depressed or angry because they wronged him. He hated being wronged. But he couldn't argue with every netizen.
His father never comforted him. Jos would scold him, tell him to be a man. If he couldn't handle the pressure, he was useless. It was his fault for not being strong enough to shut them up.
Kai was going through what Max faced.
Max wished he could flip off the haters, but that only brought more rain, more hate. No one listened to his side.
So, should he say something to Kai?
While he hesitated, he saw Ricciardo punch Kai in the shoulder. Max stopped and turned away.
"...Ouch, dislocated shoulder." Kai played along with Ricciardo.
Ricciardo blew on his fist, laughing. "Haha, Mjolnir still has power." Then, without warning, his face fell. "You ruined my race, you know that?"
Kai tilted his head, confused.
Ricciardo broke character immediately. "Okay, okay. Brilliant race. Even though you ruined my podium and I hate you, you were good."
"You know those people are just jealous, right? Don't take it personally."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Daniel, are you comforting me?"
Ricciardo looked serious. "No, don't misunderstand. I just want you to bounce back so I can beat a 100% Kai in Austria next week."
"It's not over. Best of five! I'll get one back at the Red Bull Ring. I need to go all out."
Serious for less than a second. Ricciardo grinned, showing all his teeth, rubbing his hands together like he wanted to race right now.
So that was it!
Kai lifted his chin, matching the seriousness. "I'm also curious how it feels to beat Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull's home! I can't wait!"
Finished, Kai spotted a figure out of the corner of his eye. He patted Ricciardo and jogged off.
"Don't surrender, Baby! Don't surrender! See you on track!" Ricciardo yelled after him.
Kai caught up to the figure ahead and tapped his shoulder.
The person spun around defensively, fists raised in a boxing stance, eyes wide. A straight punch was loaded and ready.
"Relax, boxer." Kai stepped back, raising his hands. "I just wanted to say, great race. The start and the finish were clean."
Verstappen froze. He hadn't expected Kai to say that.
Kai meant it. No polite filler.
Even though Kai wanted to punch Max's fish-face in Baku, he remembered: track matters stay on track. They were drivers chasing the limit. The race was often out of their control.
So, no need to bring track conflict into life.
Besides, since Baku, Max's growth was obvious.
Today, surviving the opening chaos and managing the end showed maturity. Kai needed to learn from that.
He believed he could have handled the opening scrum better. F1 starts are chaotic; dealing with them was his biggest weakness.
As for the finish, no regrets. He gave everything. So he had to acknowledge Hamilton and Max's performance. No flaws.
All truth.
Kai saw the wariness in Max's eyes and smirked. "Don't be moved. I won't go easy on the host at the Red Bull Ring."
Max retorted instinctively, "Piss off. Focus on yourself."
As Kai walked away laughing, Max regretted it. Why did it feel like he lost again?
Was that guy a jerk or not?
Hesitating, Max shouted at Kai's back, "You didn't do anything wrong. I would have done the same. Don't listen to them. Tell them to fuck off."
That was what he wished his father would say to him.
Without waiting for a reply, Max turned and walked away.
From the wind behind him, a bright voice carried: "Thanks!"
The French GP ended. The video of Kai handling the boos went viral.
Praise! Awe! Applause!
Netizens retweeted wildly, celebrating Kai's grace under fire. His calm defiance won him legions of supporters. It was his second "break the internet" moment in two weeks, after the candid photo.
This time, not just Tifosi, but neutral fans stood by him. The rookie had become a fan favorite in less than two months, his popularity in Ferrari even eclipsing Vettel's!
Vettel fans couldn't believe it.
That despicable Kai stepped on Vettel to rise, unharmed, and gained fans? Was that logical?
Their fears were coming true. Was Vettel really going to be the sacrifice?
No. Absolutely not.
Immediately, Vettel fans organized. They planned to go to Austria to cheer for him. "Save Vettel's Career!"
However, their campaign failed to gain traction.
Because—
Red Bull.
The focus of the French GP weekend wasn't Ferrari's internal war, Hamilton's win, or Max's podium. It was Red Bull.
Because Red Bull and Renault announced their divorce!
...
After years of drama, the 12-year partnership was over.
Red Bull had tried to leave in 2015. Rumor had it they wanted Mercedes engines, but Niki Lauda tricked them, demanding they cancel the Renault contract first. When they did, Mercedes closed the door, leaving Red Bull stranded. They had to crawl back to Renault.
But this time, it was real.
And it was ugly.
Horner claimed Renault was holding them back. They paid for first class but got economy seats. The engine was the missing piece.
Cyril Abiteboul, Renault's team principal, argued Red Bull blamed everyone but themselves. Renault, a works team since 2016, saw Red Bull as a rival.
Worse, while Renault offered deeper cooperation, Red Bull cut talks and stabbed them in the back, announcing a switch to Honda immediately.
Since Mercedes mastered the turbo era, only Ferrari had challenged them. Honda returned in 2015 with McLaren and failed miserably. But after a decent year with Toro Rosso, Red Bull was betting the farm on them.
But was Honda the answer?
Toro Rosso's best finish was P4 in Bahrain. Red Bull was winning races with Renault.
Was switching to Honda a smart move?
For Renault, it was an insult!
"We will do everything to make them regret this decision," Abiteboul raged in an interview.
During the French GP, the tension was palpable. Abiteboul and Horner dropped all pleasantries. The paddock loved it.
In France, Red Bull took P2 and P4. Renault took P8 and P9. Despite the gap, the rivalry was intense. Renault was sharpening its knives.
It wasn't just about points; it was about pride.
In this atmosphere, Vettel's fans' whining was ignored. The Horner-Abiteboul divorce drama was much more entertaining.
Championship Standings post-France:
Hamilton: 139 ptsKai: 109 pts (2nd)Vettel: 108 pts (3rd)Bottas: 99 pts
Kai had overtaken Vettel. No wonder Vettel refused to yield.
Ricciardo: 92 ptsVerstappen: 71 pts
Constructors:
Mercedes: 238 ptsFerrari: 217 ptsRed Bull: 163 pts
The battle was fierce. Red Bull, now divorced from Renault, was looking to crash the party.
Against this backdrop, the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring began.
Lots of storylines. Red Bull's home race. Renault's revenge. Kai vs. Vettel. Ricciardo chasing Bottas. Mercedes vs. Ferrari.
The Red Bull Ring is a short, fast track. Plenty of overtaking. Guaranteed action.
Sure enough, it delivered.
Free Practice showed Mercedes dominance. The track suited their high-speed characteristics perfectly. Hamilton and Bottas topped all sessions.
Ferrari, usually strong on high-speed tracks, struggled with their upgrades. They were matched by the engine-troubled Red Bulls.
Not a good sign.
Qualifying was a thriller.
Mercedes locked out the front row, but Bottas took pole, beating Hamilton. A surprise.
Ferrari edged Red Bull. Vettel qualified P3, beating Kai by 0.019 seconds. But Vettel received a 3-place grid penalty for blocking Sainz in Q2.
Red Bull, desperate to perform at home, was embarrassed. They lost to... Haas.
Blame Renault!
P5: Verstappen (Red Bull)
P6: Grosjean (Haas)
P7: Ricciardo (Red Bull)
P8: Magnussen (Haas)
The home crowd was stunned. Haas? The team that lost both cars to loose wheels in Melbourne?
Grosjean beat Ricciardo.
If it were just Ricciardo messing up, fine. But the gap between Grosjean and Max was only 0.052 seconds. And Max was 0.387 seconds behind Kai.
Ferrari had gapped Red Bull.
Horner was furious.
It's Renault's fault!
(Note: Haas uses Ferrari engines.)
Renault put both cars in Q3 (Sainz P9, Hülkenberg P10).
"If you suck, you suck. Don't blame us," Abiteboul fired back.
The team principals were fighting like children.
Ru!
A low noise swept the track.
Lorenzo stood among a group of Tifosi. He thought it was Red Bull fans booing. Then he saw them: people in Ferrari #5 shirts, waving Vettel flags, attacking.
He realized late. "Ru" was "Lu." A boo aimed at Kai. An upgrade from France.
These were Vettel fans. Intentionally making "cattle driving" noises. Intentionally wearing Ferrari gear to make it look like the Tifosi were turning on Kai. They wanted to hurt him.
Sure enough, other fans joined in. The noise became a hurricane, drowning out the grid.
Vettel was a Red Bull product. He was a local hero in Austria (German neighbor).
Now, Vettel fans were using that home advantage to teach Kai a lesson.
A rare sight: Tifosi (Vettel faction) and Red Bull fans united in booing a Ferrari driver.
"Luuuuuuuuu!"
The drivers paused. It was weird.
Was this normal?
Lorenzo didn't know how to react. Vettel fans stabbing a teammate in the back? Were they trying to make the garage atmosphere even more toxic?
True Tifosi waved their flags harder, trying to support Kai, but they were outnumbered.
Lorenzo looked at the track. Kai stood there, helmet off, looking up. He raised his right hand, acknowledging the noise as if it were cheers.
Let the storm come.
Lorenzo laughed. He knew Kai wouldn't back down.
Kai turned and saw Verstappen nearby, staring at the scene, confused.
Due to Vettel's penalty, Kai and Max moved up to the second row. They would start side-by-side.
Kai smirked. "Sorry for stealing your spotlight at home. That's what superstars do! Don't be jealous."
Max rolled his eyes. "Save your energy. You'll need it today."
They exchanged a look, then put on their helmets.
"Lights out!"
"The Austrian Grand Prix is go!"
"Kai's start is incredible! He seizes the initiative, cutting to the middle instantly! Bottas is blocked! Verstappen is slow! Hamilton is under threat!"
"The Ferrari #22 has taken control!"
Agile. Fast. Clean.
After France, Kai delivered his best start of the season at the Red Bull Ring.
This was his response.
No hesitation. He cut right, splitting the Mercedes.
Threading the needle!
He beat Max to the middle, blocked the Mercedes from closing the door, and stuck his nose between them. Right front next to Hamilton's rear left. Full throttle. Left front next to Bottas's rear right.
Vroom! The red car parted the Silver sea.
But as Croft said, Kai's first target was Bottas. His second was Hamilton on the inside.
"Hamilton! Watch out!"