On Top of the World [Max Verstappen - Book 3]

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Also please remember to vote and comment! When I chapter dump less of both happens...which isn't a huge thing but I'm just not as convinced that people are enjoying it that's all!
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Elodie Carter has a disappointing final outing for the Bulls following news she is joining rivals Mercedes

It wasn't the typical run of form we have come to expect from Elodie Carter in her final outing for Red Bull before she joins rival team Mercedes and it seems that the two are leaving with no love lost between them as Elodie took several stabs at the team she won two world championships with, claiming she didn't feel supported. Finishing P6 she said that it was a race to forget and alluded to frustrating strategy calls from the Red Bull team where despite her better qualifying position than her teammate, he was practically handed 4th place, guaranteeing he finished higher in the final tally. The two drivers were seen smiling and joking with one another but the garage was tense all weekend following the news of her move.

It's rumoured that Elodie told the team personally that she was leaving before attending the press conference and was met with a round of applause from those who had worked for and with her over the last year. However, something went wrong at some point and she was heard having a heated argument in the privacy of her driver's room later. Elodie seems genuine when saying that the move was not her preference due to the tears on both her and the team's faces when she went over to celebrate Max's result with them. Insiders claim that many engineers and strategists have been left frustrated and upset at Elodie's treatment over the last year and that the move wasn't a surprise to them given the overextended contract negotiations.

Was Elodie Carter right to leave Red Bull? Have a closer look at the statistics below

All drivers are quick to point out the importance of being light when racing, 1kg can cause you to lose seconds in a race...so why was Elodie's car consistently 4 kg heavier than Max's and upgrades arriving 2-3 weeks later. Take an in-depth look at the breakdown of the driver's season in comparison to teammate Max Verstappen and let us know what you think.

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Elodie Carter and Max Verstappen seen having an argument in the streets of Monaco on the golden girls' birthday, are things already going wrong just weeks after they stop being teammates?

The pair who are often seen having dinner together in Monaco, as well as with friends and family, were pictured to be in what looked like a heated argument after leaving favoured club Jimmy'z. It was during the night of Elodie's, 25, birthday night out. Pictures below show the two looking very animated and what can only be described as angry with one another, clearly intoxicated from the events of the night. This is a stark contrast to when Elodie turned up at the club a few hours earlier, smiling and looking like the IT girl that everyone often regards her as. They have been rumoured to be dating a lot over their four years of being teammates however, not a single photo has ever captured the pair being anything other than friendly over that time. Many wonders if it's an unrequited love on the part of Max Verstappen, 29, who has on multiple occasions been caught crushing on his teammate. These two are either the best at hiding their relationship, or they're truly friends. However, these photos suggest that even that is in danger...

Friends of the two, namely Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris were seen trying to calm the pair down and get them back inside however the two rather famous Monaco locals drew attention rather quickly and the photos spread like wildfire.

It's only been two weeks since Elodie announced her shock leave from Red Bull to long-term rivals Mercedes in a move that Christian Horner said was 'unexpected', although many other contacts within the team and paddock said the move shouldn't have been a surprise given Red Bull's clear prioritisation of Max for the last two seasons.

Elodie won two world driver's championship titles and was an essential component in securing constructor's wins for the team both years, amassing a legendary amount of podiums and points totals for the team. Christian Horner's remarks over Elodie leaving have been met with outrage by fans as he claimed it was a 'betrayal of trust' and demonstrated that she 'didn't have loyalty to the team', affirming the decisions made by them over the last couple of years to prioritise Max.

Elodie seemed to hit back at that with an Instagram post with Mercedes teammate Lando Norris and mentor Lewis Hamilton saying as well as her dog, Senna saying: "Don't bite the hand that feeds you, even Senna knows better than that," alluding to the idea that Christian should be careful to not come for her reputation and titles, given how much she did for the team and the records she helped them make and break. Some fans have said that the same should be said for her back to the team although the overwhelming consensus from the F1 community is that Red Bull did interfere with her chances of becoming a three and perhaps four-time world champion when they chose to favour Verstappen.

Since entering Formula One at the age of 20, Carter has shown time and again that she is an incredible driver, consistently outdriving her competition and it was no surprise to anyone when she took her first title to become the youngest champion ever. Now a seasoned veteran of the sport, going into her sixth year in 2027, it will be interesting to see how everything unfolds as she fits into her new team, Mercedes, in an unspecified length deal.

Elodie and Max have been fan favourites as a driver pairing for the last four years and worry swirled when she announced she was leaving Red Bull and how it might impact her friendship with the other driver. If these photos are anything to go by then I think it's fair to say that #Mellie is in trouble.