Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

How Helmut Marko beat one of his fiercest F1 rivals to signing Max Verstappen for Red Bull in 2014.
A full-time seat with Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, was tabled, and the rest is history.
11 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
HITC

Helmut Marko would later get one over on Niki Lauda by beating him to Max Verstappen’s signature. It’s no secret that both Mercedes and Red Bull were vying for the signature of a 16-year-old Verstappen after previously making waves in karting and holding his own in Formula 3.

According to Hughes, there was a ‘tug of war’ for Verstappen’s talents, and his father, Jos Verstappen, was entertaining both sides, waiting for the right offer. Mercedes were just entering their dominant period, and Lauda had offered the young Dutchman a seat in GP2 with a ‘planned pathway to F1’.

Marko knew this and also knew that he had to come up with an even more attractive offer in order to sway his mind. A full-time seat with Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, was tabled, and the rest is history.

‘An even more attractive offer’;

https://www.hitc.com/how-helmut-mark...-bull-in-2014/


Helmut Marko’s unseen reaction to Gianpiero Lambiase looking upset after the 2025 F1 finale
11 December 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Helmut Marko was seen talking to an emotional Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer, after missing out on the world title.

“When GP was in tears on the pitwall, three days ago, who came and gave him an ‘It’s alright mate, it’s alright.’? It was Helmut,” Ted Kravitz told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast. “There’s something deep inside me that is sorry to see the old guy go.”

“Something very small, and I will take it up, put it in a small bag, and throw it in the bin when we’ve finished this podcast, because I think his time has finished.”

‘It’s alright mate, it’s alright.’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/hel...025-f1-finale/


Vettel voices disbelief at Marko stepping away from Red Bull
Vettel caught off guard by Marko's sudden departure from Red Bull
12 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Sebastian Vettel was surprised by Helmut Marko’s departure from Red Bull. Speaking to Sport1 and F1-Insider, the four-time world champion said: “I was just as surprised as everyone else. I wish Helmut all the best for his future and a well-deserved retirement.”

“Helmut can call himself the originator of Red Bull’s success in Formula 1,” Vettel added, also noting that Marko was “the architect of success not only in terms of driver selection — central decisions on the team’s lineup, personnel, and strategy were also made by him.” The first fruits of Marko’s empire came during the peak years of the former German driver, who was the first to deliver a championship to the Milton Keynes team in 2010 and continued to do so for four consecutive years until 2013.

In an exclusive interview with GPblog, Marko didn’t rule out the possibility of attending “one or two Grand Prix,” but made it clear he has no interest in returning full-time. The Graz-born executive also dismissed any role as an F1 analyst, jokingly saying, “You’ll never see me running around with a microphone making interviews.”

‘Vettel voices disbelief’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/vette...-from-red-bull


Guenther Steiner explains why Red Bull won’t be ‘worse off’ after Helmut Marko’s F1 exit
11 December 2025
Shay Rogers
HITC

Guenther Steiner expects ‘well-established’ Red Bull to be fine without Helmut Marko. Ex-Haas boss Guenther Steiner thinks that the team and drivers will be just fine without Marko’s influence. His departure isn’t so significant, in his eyes.

“I don’t think they will be worse off,” he told the Red Flags Podcast. “I don’t know if they are better off, but I don’t think they will be worse off, because the team is well-established, it seems like, under the leadership of Laurent [Mekies].”

“It seems like they know what they want and what they do. The races are the same, they did a good job and I think if there is something happening, Helmut Marko can always come back.”

“The team is well-established”;

https://www.hitc.com/guenther-steine...arkos-f1-exit/


What Red Bull owners have ‘explicitly’ told Max Verstappen about the team’s future after Helmut Marko exit
10 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

In an update from Motorsport Nederland, F1 journalist Ronald Vording revealed the latest news regarding Verstappen’s future at the team following the exit of one of his closest confidantes, Marko. He said, “Max has often publicly defended Marko. The best example is Saudi Arabia last year. In the midst of that whole power struggle with Christian Horner. When Marko’s position came under pressure, he was actually in danger of being sacked. And Max said, if [Marko] has to leave, then he’s leaving too. So Max had Marko’s full support there.

“That might give the impression that this also has direct consequences for Max Verstappen, but insiders say that it’s a bit more nuanced than that. Firstly, of course, there is the much-discussed Marko clause. From Red Bull’s point of view, this has already been neutralised with a kind of side letter. But secondly, what Red Bull has now, the Austrian side and also the Thai side in terms of owners, have once again expressed their full commitment in light of all this, and they have made this clear to Max Verstappen.”

“They have also explicitly entered into that conversation. And Max himself said on Sunday that the atmosphere in the team is up to him, he can see that very clearly now. So, under the leadership of Laurent Mekies, Max Verstappen feels comfortable. He even added that he feels better here in Abu Dhabi now than he did a year ago. Of course, he was world champion then, and now he is not. But back then, he felt that everything was going wrong at Red Bull. And now there is a sense of calm.”

“Neutralised with a kind of side letter”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...ut-marko-exit/

[Fortitude]

Where’s Oscar? McLaren ‘team’ photo says a thousand words.
“Our last team pic of the year,” McLaren posted triumphantly… …someone was missing from the photo… Piastri.
13 Dec 2025
Peter Maniaty
Sporting News

“Our last team pic of the year,” McLaren posted triumphantly from its headquarters in Woking, Surrey, with hundreds of staffers crowded excitedly around their new F1 World Champion Lando Norris.

Only trouble was, as many observers quickly noticed, someone was missing from the photo who had a rather significant role in the constructors’ and drivers’ world championship battles for McLaren in 2025: Piastri.

“Think you’re missing a pretty important part of the team in this pic,” commented one follower.
“Team pic? I didn’t know you only had one driver…” replied another.
“Let me guess Oscar took the picture,” said another.
With Piastri contracted to McLaren until the end of 2028, the next few seasons promise to be interesting to say the least—‘papaya rules’ or not.

‘McLaren ‘team’ photo’;

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/form...7f2288326f66a4


Australian TV keeps taking swipes at McLaren for alleged ‘Norris bias'
13 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

The narrative that Oscar Piastri was not being treated equally by McLaren continues in Australian media, after another TV segment was introduced this way. Following a Piastri interview with Australian media ended after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, a TV presenter said: "Let’s hope Oscar can do it next year… if McLaren don’t work against him."

Now, on Australian TV channel 10 News+, in a segment on how much money Piastri earned this year, a different presenter began: "When Australia's Formula 1 weapon Oscar Piastri lost out in the Drivers' Championship in Abu Dhabi this week, the entire country felt robbed.”

"Throughout the season, his team McLaren had seemingly preferenced his teammate and eventual champ Lando Norris, but this might soften the blow a little, at least for Piastri, with word today he will receive a $41 million bonus."

‘Australian TV keeps taking swipes at McLaren’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/austr...ed-norris-bias


George Russell privately felt sorry for Oscar Piastri over 2025 controversy, ‘he didn’t deserve that’
13 December 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

George Russell felt Oscar Piastri’s British GP penalty was wrong. Piastri is regarded as an unflappable driver but there was one moment above all in 2025 where he appeared to be seething. The Australian was on course for victory at the British GP until he received a 10-second penalty for driving erratically just before a safety car restart. The subsequent delay at his pit stop handed the win to Lando Norris. Piastri, who felt the penalty was unfair, optimistically asked McLaren if they would consider swapping the cars back. This gambit failed, and the 14-point swing is even more painful in light of the final standings.

Speaking on the F1 Show, Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok revealed that GPDA chief and Mercedes star George Russell sided with Piastri over the incident. “I reckon he lost 31 points, including the disqualification in Vegas, and Lando lost 36 points between the non-finishes and the disqualifications,” Chandhok said. “Silverstone, I felt that was really harsh. The safety car turned the lights off really late. You watch the onboards, and I spoke to some other drivers, including George Russell, who was in that queue, who thought he didn’t deserve that. The point is that I think he’s been on the wrong end of the penalties on a couple of occasions.”

‘He didn’t deserve that’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/geo...-deserve-that/


Herbert sees Piastri eyeing exit from McLaren after Norris’ title triumph
11 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com

Johnny Herbert has suggested there is a possibility that Oscar Piastri could leave McLaren following Lando Norris’ championship triumph. “At this moment in time, I can see Oscar Piastri looking to move on from McLaren. As things stand, he may feel so frustrated that he wants to look elsewhere,” Herbert began.

However, the former Sauber driver questioned such a decision, highlighting how the McLaren outfit has proven capable of delivering a championship-winning car. “But why would you want to move on from a team that can actually supply you with the car to win the World Drivers’ Championship?” he added. “If he moved to Ferrari, for example, there is no guarantee at all that he would get a chance of being World Champion. If he moved to Mercedes, there’s no guarantee either. The team that’s in the moment is McLaren, and arguably Red Bull,” he continued.

Herbert, however, suggested a move to the Red Bull Racing outfit could offer Piastri such a chance, though having Max Verstappen as a teammate could present its own challenges. “Those are the only places where you’re probably going to be able to win a World Championship. But one of them has Max in the seat. Would he want to go into that environment?” he concluded.

‘Herbert sees Piastri eyeing exit’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/herbe...-title-triumph


Lando Norris will be worried about what McLaren staff keep saying privately about Oscar Piastri
11 December 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

McLaren CEO Zak Brown was quick to praise Oscar Piastri on the team radio as he crossed the finish line at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, despite missing out on winning the drivers’ championship. Nico Rosberg wasn’t a big fan of Brown’s message to Piastri, but it highlighted something important about the way McLaren have conducted themselves this season.

Journalists Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson have now shared what staff within McLaren keep saying about the 24-year-old. McLaren staff think Oscar Piastri has a higher ceiling than Lando Norris. Saunders was speaking about Piastri on the Unlapped Podcast and explained: “I don’t buy this idea that there’s been a favourite in one way massively.

“I think he’s come off worse, maybe in the 50-50s. But I think he handled that pretty well, Piastri. You know, and he was very self-reflective.” Edmondson replied: “I think the one thing which we hear consistently about Oscar from the team is that he is incredibly intelligent and incredibly good at taking on lessons from the realities of Formula 1, from the issues that face him during a race.”

‘What staff within McLaren keep saying’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lan...oscar-piastri/

[Fortitude]

Ben Sulayem lets Norris off the hook after FIA Awards Ceremony 'F-bomb'.
"We had our fair share of mistakes and f*** ups. Can I say that here? I’m okay? Oh, sorry. I got fined. I can pay it off now." Lando Norris.
13 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Lando Norris made a mistake on stage at the FIA Gala by dropping an 'F-bomb', but he will not have to deal with the consequences according to the reaction of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. On stage, before handing the trophy over to Norris, FIA President Ben Sulayem said: "First of all, when he said the ‘F’ [word], it was going to be a €5,000 fine."
However, Norris will avoid any fine. The Emirati added: "But now I think you need it for your hair after I messed it!"

Previously, Max Verstappen was required to complete mandatory community service for swearing during an FIA press conference at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, which he served in Kigali, Rwanda, during last year's FIA Awards Ceremony.

'F-bomb - Off the hook’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ben-s...eremony-f-bomb


Norris escapes FIA swearing fine as McLaren confirms worst-kept secret – roundup
13 Dec 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Saturday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Lando Norris avoiding a fine for swearing during his speech at the FIA prize-giving gala as Zak Brown confirms McLaren’s worst-kept secret ahead of F1 2026.

Zak Brown, the McLaren chief executive, has dropped the biggest hint yet that the team will retain its so-called ‘papaya rules’ between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the F1 2026 season.

‘Worst-kept secret’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-lan...ishment-secret


F-Bomb, Hair Ruffle, World Title: Norris Steals The Night
December 13, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com

Lando Norris dropped an F-bomb in his world champion speech. The FIA president turned it into a punchline. At the federation’s end of season gala in Uzbekistan, Norris was officially handed the 2025 world championship trophy — the first McLaren driver to do so since Lewis Hamilton in 2008, and the 11th Briton to wear the crown. He’d clinched it six days earlier in Abu Dhabi with a measured P3 behind Oscar Piastri and race winner Max Verstappen.

On stage, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem welcomed Norris with a hair-ruffle and a grin, then nearly made it expensive. When Norris thanked McLaren and reflected on “our fair share of mistakes and f— ups,” Ben Sulayem playfully shot back: “5,000.” A nod to the FIA’s tightened stance on swearing in official settings — and the going rate for a public profanity. “First of all, when he said the ‘eff’, it was going to be a €5,000 fine,” Ben Sulayem joked, before adding that he’d let the champion keep the cash to undo the Presidential hair muss. The room laughed. So did Norris.

It was a suitably loose end to a high wire season. Norris praised McLaren — the team he joined as a teenager — for delivering a car that could go toe to toe with Red Bull, lauding an internal rivalry with Piastri that sharpened both drivers. He also paid tribute to Verstappen, who missed the ceremony through illness, for the relentless pressure that forced McLaren to keep finding answers. “Congratulations and thank you to McLaren,” Norris said from the podium. “At times they gave us an incredible car that made life very easy and beautiful. Oscar’s been an incredible teammate, he’s helped me improve so much over the last few seasons. And to Max for challenging us the whole way — doing what Max does.”

‘F-Bomb - The FIA president turned it into a punchline’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/f-bomb-h...als-the-night/


Norris laughs off after F-bomb during FIA Gala: 'I got fined'
13 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Lando Norris let his guard down a little more than usual at the FIA Gala, where he was officially crowned world champion for the 2025 season. The newly crowned world champion received the trophy he had dreamed of since childhood just yesterday in Uzbekistan, after beating Max Verstappen and his team-mate in a three-way title showdown in Abu Dhabi last week.

“This is a lot of people’s dream, a lot of racing drivers’ dream - the Brit said during the FIA gala - I got to finally live it — live that one dream I had when I was a little kid. I remember standing on the stage many, many years ago — 2014 I think it was — standing there with Jackie, even before that.”

“It’s been amazing to grow up here alongside so many of you, growing up with McLaren, getting to race all the world champions I’ve been up against — Lewis, Max, Seb, Fernando — all the incredible drivers I looked up to and watched when I was a little kid. To get that chance to race against them, try to beat them, to show what I can do against them all — and we’ve managed to do that this year.

“This is a lot of people’s dream - I got to finally live it”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...la-i-got-fined


Lando Norris finally lifts F1 trophy, crowned champion at FIA gala
Lando Norris and McLaren collect their F1 trophies at FIA gala in Uzbekistan.
13 Dec 2025
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Norris collected his trophy from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has been re-elected for a second four-year term. The 26-year-old Briton clinched his maiden world championship by finishing third at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday.

Norris pipped Max Verstappen to the title by two points to end the Red Bull driver’s four-year reign at the top of F1, and become the first McLaren driver to win the championship since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. Norris’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished third in the world championship, 13 points shy of winning his maiden world title, was also in attendance. Verstappen missed the event due to illness.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown collected the Woking squad’s second consecutive constructors’ championship trophy. Norris was not able to get his hands on the trophy immediately after winning the championship in Abu Dhabi. A replica of the trophy, which was created in 1995, was on the grid ahead of the season finale, but the real thing was flown to Uzbekistan.

‘Lando Norris finally lifts F1 trophy’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108819...fia-prize-gala


Lando Norris opens up on psychologist help with crucial 2025 title margin
12 Dec 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With mind management being an area Norris has acknowledged could have tripped him up, he took on the services of a psychologist in the middle of 2025 to help him work on eliminating distractions and to keep his focus, as he detailed to Sky Sports News. “Very,” he told Craig Slater, when asked about the significance of a psychologist to his championship bid. When you look at the end of the season, two points were all I needed, you know?”

“There are plenty of places that I could have gotten more points. There’s also plenty of places I could have lost more points, and it’s hard to quantify, ‘Did this one meeting help you get this many points?’ You don’t really know this thing, because it’s just a collection of work, and you go through everything, ‘Is this going to help you potentially do a better job?’ “

“If it’s a yes, you’ve got to do as many of those different things as you can. Certainly, working with a psychologist and different people in many different areas all played a part. How much? Very difficult to know. But did it make me perform better? Did it allow me to get wins in the second half of the season and have that run, which I would say effectively got me the championship in the end? Yes. So every small piece can add up and make a big difference.”

‘Mind management’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...2025-title-win


Norris personally addreses McLaren F1 after 'unforgettable' achievement.
11 Dec 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Lando Norris has returned to the McLaren Technology Centre for the first time since becoming World Champion, celebrating that feat with the whole team. “It’s unbelievable to be here as a Drivers’ World Champion," Norris started by saying at the factory. "It’s been my dream since all those years ago, watching on TV and wondering what it’s like to be there one day, with no idea about what it takes, and what it could mean to everyone, not just to me.”

“One of the things that’s most important to me has been the people who helped get us to this point. Whether it’s my family, friends, management, trainer, but also the people who design, create and build the car, my mechanics, and my engineers. What puts a smile on my face is seeing the team’s reaction - that’s my biggest motivation. It means nothing without the people who helped you achieve it."

“Racing alongside Oscar the last three seasons has pushed me a lot more. He’s played a massive part in this. He’s been my teammate, and we’ve helped each other. He’s made the journey better, with an incredible fight right to the very end. I would like to say a big thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single person in the team. Everyone plays a part in our story. I will remember it for the rest of my life. Here’s to many more.”

'Unforgettable achievement’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...le-achievement

[Fortitude]

Why Max Verstappen’s F1 2025 comeback is ‘one for the history books’.
“It’s you guys [the media] that are here to judge how historical a season is compared to the others.” Laurent Mekies, Red Bull, Team Boss.
14 Dec 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

According to team boss Laurent Mekies, who took over from Christian Horner in the role during the summer, he witnessed something special from Verstappen, but said it’s in the eye of the observer as to whether F1 2025 was, in fact, the Red Bull driver’s best season performance. “It’s you guys [the media] that are here to judge how historical a season is compared to the others,” he said.

“I think it’s probably fair to say that the world discovered an even more extraordinary Max this season after his fourth world title. A bit because of the magnitude of the comeback. A bit because he has been so relaxed, so well seated in the team. Embracing so much that challenge with the right spirit.”

“A bit also because we have seen him racing elsewhere. I think it has all taken a bit of a part of our heart when we have seen him spending his free weekends being a new dad, racing with GT cars around the world. But for sure, in terms of whatever happens next, the scale of the comeback is something that hopefully will go in a few history books.”

‘Magnitude of the comeback’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lauren...-history-books


Bernie Ecclestone Hails Max Verstappen as the Greatest Driver He’s Ever Seen
December 14, 2025
James Rees
F1 Chronicle

In a letter shared by F1 Insider, the former Formula 1 supremo described Verstappen as “the best Formula 1 driver I can ever remember,” a remarkable endorsement from the man who oversaw the championship for decades. “This year marks 75 years since the start of Formula One,” Ecclestone wrote. “I’ve seen many world changes, plus a few in Formula One, from bye-bye Christian [Horner] to catching up with Max, the best Formula 1 driver I can ever remember.”

Ecclestone also touched on the shifting competitive landscape, highlighting McLaren’s return to form under Zak Brown, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff “waking up,” and Lewis Hamilton’s struggles amid a less competitive package. Looking ahead, the 95-year-old warned that the next era of the sport may be anything but calm.

“2026 will not be a peaceful year for Formula 1, and the world is also looking for peace,” he wrote. “So take a few quids at the end of 2025. At 95 and with a five-year-old inquisitive son, I can’t follow my own advice. Do your best at whatever you are doing.”

“Max, the best Formula 1 driver I can ever remember”;

https://f1chronicle.com/bernie-eccle.../?nowprocket=1


Ex-Ferrari boss hails Verstappen as Schumacher’s true heir: 'A phenomenon'
14 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com

Maurizio Arrivabene has lauded Max Verstappen, likening him to seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher in his recent assessment of the Red Bull Racing driver. "Don't joke! Max is a phenomenon. You see, there are fifty thousand components in a single-seater. Well, the Dutchman manages to squeeze the best out of every detail," Arrivabene said via Quotidiano Sportivo.

Further pressed about which driver from the previous era he would compare Verstappen to, Arrivabene continued: "Verstappen is Michael Schumacher's heir. He has the same strength, the same sense of leadership. He knows how to inspire those who work with him." Like Schumacher, Verstappen has continued to etch his name firmly into Formula 1’s history books. The 28-year-old has so far claimed four Drivers’ titles and also follows Schumacher on the list of all-time race wins with 71.

'A phenomenon';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ex-fe...r-a-phenomenon


Hill too chooses Verstappen over Norris: 'Sometimes the best doesn't win'
15 Dec 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Whereas in the past Damon Hill seemed to be one of Max Verstappen's most ardent critic, he now has nothing but praises for the Dutch driver. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hill said: “Max has that Schumacher quality. The focus, the relentlessness, the ability to extract everything from the car every single lap.”

“He does not switch off. Even when the pressure is enormous, he stays completely in control. That is something you only see in the very best. There are no wasted movements. Everything he does is calculated and effective.” Hill then recalled Verstappen's title charge in the second half of the season, in which he cut down a 104-point deficit down to only two with his Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win. “Coming back from such a big points gap and pushing it to the very end takes a special mentality," Hill added.

“He just kept delivering. Week after week, he was there," stating that: "Anyone can shine when things are easy. Max shines when things are difficult. Championships are important, but they do not tell the whole story. Sometimes the best driver does not win the title.” His praising of Verstappen then reached a new high, when he said the not only drivers, but teams were also forced into action by the Dutchman. “Teams had to react to him. Drivers had to think about him. That tells you everything. When you race against someone like Max, you have to raise your game or you fall behind.”

“He just kept delivering. Week after week, he was there";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-ch...-win-the-title


‘I see him as my friend’ – Verstappen pays tribute to race engineer Lambiase after ‘emotional year’
Following an eventful season for Red Bull, Max Verstappen has praised race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
11 Dec 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Following the race, Lambiase sounded emotional as he told his driver: “Max, you have given everything – you can be proud of that, mate. Hold your head up high.” Verstappen was heard to say in response: “We showed them one final time who’s boss! Congrats guys, what a comeback in our second half of the season. We can be really, really proud of that so don’t be too disappointed. I’m definitely not disappointed. I’m really proud of everyone to never give up.”

‘Emotional year’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...YlbPEP08tgwmfR


Verstappen reveals why he ended the current season with "a better feeling" than last year
11 Dec 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Asked when he could take as much pride from this season compared to the pride he took from the last four years when he won the championship, Verstappen revealed that the reason why he had "a better feeling" at the end of the current season than last year.

"I mean, at the end of the day, of course, it’s always nicer to win it. But, honestly, I’m sitting here now with probably a better feeling than what I had last year at this time because the second half of last year was pretty tricky at times as well. So, we have been struggling for, I would say, a year — the second half of last year and the first half of this year. But I actually feel a lot better now.”

The Dutchman continued: "Of course, shame to miss out on the title, but at the same time, for a long period of time I was not even thinking about the title. I never felt like I was in it until a few rounds ago. That’s pretty crazy. But, yeah, you take your pride in different ways. I’m happy with myself and going into next year I’m not in a state of having to worry about my skills or whatever. So, yeah, I feel good.”

“You take your pride in different ways”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28096


What really cost Verstappen title beyond his biggest error
Dec 11, 2025
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Max Verstappen mentioned with the "early Christmas presents" he was given in the second half of the season, there were many mistakes made by the McLaren drivers and their team in the second half of the year. You can construct all manner of combinations of lost points on that side to explain why Piastri wasn't champion and why Norris nearly got beaten - far, far more than what Verstappen gave up.

"The first half had some nice moments, but mainly tough moments," Verstappen said. "Some really tough races and feelings." It is astounding he ever came anywhere near winning the title after that. This speaks to the quality of the final third of his season and the progress Red Bull was able to make in getting its car to work at or near its best more often. It allowed Verstappen to amass a bigger win tally than either McLaren driver for the season - something that would have been unthinkable going into the summer break with 14 of the 24 rounds complete.

After the break, Red Bull actually had a quicker car than McLaren more often. Further car upgrades and a more aggressive set-up approach brought big wins - at the cost of a couple of weekends with big setbacks, although Verstappen mitigated those brilliantly. He views this season as his best in F1 and maybe that is why, even if you can pick out one or two moments that could have been better, Verstappen insists he has "no regrets" about it.

"Early Christmas presents";

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...stappen-title/