Source: REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
[Saba Sports News] Dutch news outlet “De
Limburger” recently reported that sportswear giant Nike has prevented the
sale of F1 world champion Max Verstappen’s “Max 1” clothing series.
Nike’s argument is based on the similarity between “Max 1” and their
long-established line of “Air Max” shoes, which includes various
products such as “Max Force 1” and other variations featuring similar
keywords. In October 2022, Verstappen secured his second F1 world championship
title in Japan. Following his triumph, Verstappen released a special edition
T-shirt and sneakers to commemorate the championship. The new T-shirt features
a black design with the world champion logo on the front and an image of
Verstappen holding the F1 World Championship trophy on the back. However,
Verstappen encountered legal issues shortly after the launch of his
merchandise, leading to their removal from shelves. Verstappen’s argument is
straightforward: he named his personalized product range after his own name and
racing number. However, Nike disagrees with Verstappen’s perspective,
suggesting that Verstappen seeks to capitalize on the popularity of Nike’s
“Air Max” shoes.