Red Bull Admits 'Hurt' After Verstappen's 2-Point Title Loss

Red Bull's championship hopes collapsed by the slimmest margin as Max Verstappen won Abu Dhabi but lost the drivers' title by just two points to McLaren's Lando Norris. The Dutch driver's failure to secure a record-tying fifth straight crown—ending his reign after 104-point deficit turned into a near-miraculous comeback—left the team grappling with acute disappointment.

Why it matters:

The psychological blow cuts deep for a team that transformed near-elimination into genuine contention. After trailing Norris by over 100 points midseason, Red Bull's relentless charge created "a kind of euphoria," as motorsport director Helmut Marko described, making the razor-thin defeat particularly devastating. This narrow loss underscores how microscopic margins now dictate F1's championship battles in the hybrid era.

The Details:

• Critical Errors Proved Decisive: Verstappen's championship bid unraveled through avoidable setbacks—including strategic frustration in Barcelona and a race-ending collision with Kimi Antonelli at the Red Bull Ring. Marko specifically cited Budapest as a "very weak weekend" that ultimately cost the title.
• McLaren's Unshakable Consistency: Despite Red Bull's late surge, Norris delivered clutch performances when it mattered most. Marko admitted: "McLaren and Max were SO strong. No Ferrari, no Mercedes could do anything against that."
• Acknowledging the Worthy Champion: While lamenting lost opportunities, Marko conceded Norris earned his first world title: "In the end, you have to say Lando is a worthy world champion," recognizing McLaren's season-long resilience despite their own mistakes.

What's next:

Red Bull is channeling its frustration into preparation for F1's transformative 2026 regulations, where new power unit and chassis rules could reset the competitive order. Marko insists the team possesses both the technical capability and development agility to rebound: "We are technically able to build a competitive team... that is a very important motivation for next year."

The sting of this defeat will undoubtedly fuel Verstappen's off-season preparations. Having lost his crown for the first time in his career, the 28-year-old now faces the rare challenge of reclaiming F1's summit—a mission made more urgent by the knowledge that Red Bull's near-perfect Abu Dhabi execution still wasn't quite enough. With both teams already dissecting every strategic call from Barcelona to Yas Marina, the 2025 season promises an even more intense chapter in this evolving rivalry.