Formula One, like any other sport, is loaded with superstitions; for instance, there is Sergio Perez’s ‘Pope’ theory and Michael Schumacher’s odd number desire. Similarly, the fans of 2021 world champion, Max Verstappen, cooked up a rather interesting superstition related to the cap their Dutch hero wore during a race weekend.

We’re sure a lot of the fans are aware of the flat brim cap theory that bloomed out of nowhere during the second half of the 2021 season. But, here’s an overview of the speculation, anyway. Verstappen, much like any other driver on the grid, used two different types of caps over the year 2021 – a flat brim cap and a curved brim cap.

Coincidentally, whenever he wore the flat brim cap, his end result to that particular race weekend was awful. Verstappen wore the flat brim cap during the race weekends at Silverstone, Hungary, Azerbaijan, and Italy, all of which either ended in DNF or poor finishing position.

Meanwhile, the curved brim cap? Well, Monaco, Styria, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands all of which witnessed the Red Bull driver secure the top step on the podium. Well, turns out, Verstappen was indeed well aware of the cap theory that was then wildly circulating on social media.

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Max Verstappen acknowledges flat cap theory

Following the ice show in Austria, Verstappen opened up that he doesn’t believe in superstitions. Hence, the Dutchman continued to wear flat brim caps to races despite the fans’ disapproval. Verstappen further reckoned the superstition wasn’t true as he even went on to win the championship despite using flat brim caps often during the season’s second half.

“Well, I read some things that it was almost like a kind of a fluke when all the time I was wearing a flat cap, I was not winning the races. And when I had the baseball kind of cap, I was winning the races. But, I’m not superstitious,” the one-time world champion said.

“So, I kept on being stubborn. I kept wearing the flat cap. And the end result? I won the championship. So, doesn’t matter.” Overall, Verstappen doesn’t seem to be affected by the cap theory. So, will we get to see more of Verstappen sporting the flat cap over race weekends in 2022? Will the superstition continue to haunt the Dutchman?

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