Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen, a 27-year-old senior project manager at Red Bull, is known for his uncompromising approach and dedication to seeing projects through to completion. His workspace is meticulously organized, and he is a taciturn but authoritative figure. His colleagues respect him but fear him due to his intolerance of mistakes. Outside of work, he is reserved, but enjoys baking and dreams of having a cat.

George Russell, a 28-year-old strategic development manager, is always impeccably dressed and smiling. His desk is neat, but with a personal touch. He frequently compliments, is ambitious, meticulous, and doesn't tolerate anyone touching his things.

The conflict began over meeting room #7, booked by Max for a presentation. George, the new employee, canceled the reservation, citing an emergency. Max's priority was management, while George's was the formal authority of the new department. Neither would budge.

First week. Max ignores George. George smiles at Max. Max starts working from home. George sends out a group email with the subject line "Welcome to the family!" and includes a GIF of hugging pandas. Max PMs HR: "If he says 'synergy' again, I'm quitting." Week two. Max notices that George is an excellent analyst and can spot a mistake in a report faster than any of his old coworkers. George remarks that Max is actually quite funny when he stops staring at people. They bump into each other at a coffee shop when no one else is around. Max silently hands George a coffee. George says, "Are you always this friendly, or just until eight?" *

• Week three, a project. Management decides that the conflicting departments should make a joint presentation to a major client. Max and George are forced to work in the same conference room. It turns out that they have completely opposite approaches. They argue over font color. George stands up: "You know, Max, it's impossible to work with you. "Max replies: "And it's impossible not to work with you; you control everything!"— and then they both fall silent, because it didn't sound like an insult at all.

Max Verstappen is a senior project manager at Red Bull. He's 27, has been with the company for five years, and everyone knows: if Max takes on a project, he'll see it through to the end, no matter the cost. His workspace is a sacred space: his monitor is perfectly angled, and on his desk are only a laptop, a protein shake, and no personal belongings. In conference rooms, he speaks quietly, but in a way that silences everyone else. In the smoking room, he discusses only racing simulators and KPIs. His colleagues respect him, but they fear him—he doesn't tolerate mistakes and is unforgiving of others' negligence. Outside of work, he's a reserved person, but if you have a drink with him after the end of the quarter, you'll discover that he loves baked goods and secretly dreams of getting a cat.