The world of Formula -1 buzzed with rumors since the boss of the Max Verstappen team and Mercedes Toto Wolff was both viewed in Sardinia, with their yachts off the coast of the Italian island. Speculation on a possible change compared to the Four World Champion in Mercedes reached a culminating point when it was discovered that Verstappen had flown to Sardinia, while Wolff’s yacht was also nearby. The fans and the media hypothesized a secret meeting between the two who could determine the future of Verstappen in Formula 1. Now Kelly Piquet, a partner of Verstappen, has created clarity on the reason for his stay in Sardinia on Instagram and pushed the speculation on the two Yaches and an presumed meeting with Wolff.

In the last few days, the flight and sail movements of Verstappen and Wolff Food have served for speculation. According to the insiders of F1, both Verstappen and Wolff had planned a generally reliable source in the two weekend of running in July 2025 in Sardinia. Verstappen’s yacht, which the lion unleashed, was already close to the island coast, while Wolff’s yacht, who had remained previously, was close. This led to wild stories about a secret meeting, which was fed by the former rider Ralf Schumacher, who was interviewed in an interview with Formula 1. This suggested that the existence of both yachts could not be a coincidence. Nelson Piquet Jr., brother of Verstappen, even threw oil on the fire revealing in a podcast that the interviews were already held between Verstappen and Wolff in 2026.

Kelly Piquet, who is usually careful before her private life, decided to stop the rumors mill with a series of posts on Instagram in which she revealed the real reason for her stay in Sardinia. In his stories, he shared the photos of a “mini phenomenon” on board, which publishes the lion with photos of herself, Stappen and her daughter Penelope, who appreciated the Mediterranean Sea. Piquet stressed that the couple simply used the free weeks so that the Belgian Grand Prix could relax and spend time with its families. “No secret meeting, no discussion on the contract, only sun, sea and family”, wrote in an accompanying caption with which he immediately invalidated the speculation on the encounter with Wolff. He added that the probability of Wolff’s presence in Sardinia was nothing more than a coincidence.

Piquet’s comments arrive at a time when the formula -1 paddock is full of uncertainty about the future of the future. The four -stroke world champion, who still has a contract with Red Bull by 2028, is under pressure due to the disappointing performance of the RB21 in 2025. The team is only the fourth in the construction of the builders and internal disorders such as the dismissal of the boss of Team Christian Horner and the departure of key characters such as Aduprand. Mercedes, led by Toto Wolff, is seen as a serious candidate for Verstappen in 2026, mainly due to the promising prospects of the new W16 car according to the imminent regulations. However, Verstappen remains vague for his plans. During Great Britain of Great Britain, he said that his attention was focused on the next races and that he will make a decision on his future during the summer break.

The presence of the two yachts in Sardinia was quickly interpreted by fans and media as a sign of negotiations. Social media as X have gurgling theories with users who followed the movements of the private jet of Verstappen and have come to the conclusion that a short cut on the island should give a meeting with Wolff. Ralf Schumacher added: “There are two boats in Sardinia, one by Toto Wolff and one of Max Verstappen. I can imagine they drink coffee together.” This comment in combination with the confirmation of Nelson Piquet Jr. The fact that the discussions took place have caused a media tower. But Pique’s latest contribution stresses that the situation is much simpler. He stressed that Sardinia is a popular destination for prominent people for formula -1 and that the proximity of Wolffs’ yacht is not an indication of professional discussions.

Piquet’s open reaction also illuminates his role in Verstappen’s life. The Brazilian, daughter of the triple world champion Nelson Piquet, usually kept in the background, but occasionally shares a look at his private life. At the beginning of this year he accidentally announced the genre of his second son – a girl, Lily born in April 2025 and spoke in a rare interview on her relationship and on her plans for the future, including a possible marriage. In his recent contribution to holidays in Sardinia, he shows that he consciously tries to alleviate the voices and focus on his family life and not the speculation on Verstappen’s career.

For Red Bull, Verstappen’s riots are a further challenge in an already turbulent season. Horner’s resignation after accusations of inappropriate behavior and tensions with the father of Verstappen Jos brought the team to an uncertain position. Laurent Mekies, the new team manager, faces the task of maintaining Verstappen’s trust and bringing the team back to the top. In the meantime, Mercedes with Wolff in the upper part remains an attractive option for Verstappen, especially in view of his experience with new regulations and the possibility of going with young talents like Kimi Antonelli. However, the sources are close to Verstappen, including his direction that wants to remain faithful to Red Bull, provided that the team can become competitive again.

The Formula -1 community remains divided through the situation. Some fans see a transition to Mercedes as a logical step for Verstappen to further strengthen his career, while others fear that the W16 does not meet his high requirements. However, the pickets ended a speculation on a secret encounter in Sardinia and the focus of their family holiday offers a moment of peace in the storm of the voices. While Verstappen is preparing for the next races, the question remains: will it remain faithful to the Red Bull or is it a new challenge to Mercedes? Time will learn, but at the moment the Dutch enjoy peace in his yacht, far from the frenetic paddcock rhythm.