Verstappen withdrawal from TikTok may be costly for Red Bull

The report highlights the financial implications of a decision made by Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen, who recently confirmed that the four-time Formula 1 World Champion would no longer participate in promotional TikTok content produced by the team.

Vermeulen said at the time: “It doesn't fit when I then see a video on TikTok where Max has to pierce balloons. You don't make that kind of videos with a four-time world champion.”

The comment, made in the run-up to round three of the 2025 F1 season in Melbourne, underscores a strategic shift in Verstappen’s branding. One that may come at a significant cost to Red Bull’s digital engagement.

According to OLBG, Verstappen featured in 315 TikTok videos posted by Red Bull Racing since 1 March 2024. These posts collectively garnered 465 million views and are estimated to be worth $4,965,900 using The Leap’s TikTok Revenue Calculator.

The study claims that each Verstappen-led TikTok video brought in an average of $13,280 in value, with overall monthly earnings from related digital sales estimated at $782,700.

The OLBG report adds that Verstappen was the central figure in 63.4% of all Red Bull Racing TikTok content over the past year. Out of 497 posts on the team’s official TikTok account, 315 featured the Dutch driver.

With Verstappen no longer participating, the impact could extend beyond Red Bull’s direct revenue stream. The 27-year-old remains one of the most searched athletes on TikTok, with an average of 93,151 daily searches and a total of 34 million in the past year.

Red Bull Racing has not publicly responded to the report or commented on any revised plans for its social media strategy following Verstappen’s exit from TikTok platform.

Most Formula 1 drivers use social media to varying degrees, with Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton generally topping the sport's social media platforms in terms of followers and engagement.