Verstappen Defends Season Amid Title Regret Questioning

Max Verstappen sharply rebuked a journalist probing his regret over the 2025 title loss, insisting the narrow defeat to Lando Norris doesn't diminish his pride in Red Bull's remarkable season-long resurgence. Despite falling two points short of a historic fifth consecutive championship after dominating Abu Dhabi's finale, the Dutch driver emphasized his satisfaction with a campaign featuring eight wins and a 10-race podium streak that nearly erased a 100-point midseason deficit.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's defensive response reveals how sensitively the team views narratives reducing their near-miss to a single incident, especially after overcoming a 100-point deficit midseason. His insistence that championships are "won over 24 rounds" counters media attempts to simplify a complex battle, while his calm confidence heading into 2026's regulation changes signals Red Bull's focus remains firmly forward—a critical mindset as they prepare for major technical overhauls.

The details:

• Spain incident pushback: When questioned about his Barcelona clash with George Russell—which dropped him to 10th after a penalty—Verstappen snapped: "You forget all the other stuff... You’re giving me a stupid grin now," highlighting how rivals' late-season errors also shaped the title fight.
• Statistical dominance: Verstappen finished with more wins (8) than Norris or Piastri despite entering Abu Dhabi 12 points down, fueled by six victories in a 10-race podium streak that brought him within touching distance of F1's largest championship comeback.
• Team resilience: He credited Red Bull’s "perfect" Abu Dhabi execution (pole position and dominant race win) and praised their refusal to "give up" when trailing by over 100 points at Zandvoort, calling the turnaround "fun."
• Marko's validation: Advisor Helmut Marko called the two-point loss "painful" but acknowledged Norris as "a worthy world champion," noting how Red Bull systematically closed the gap race-by-race during their second-half surge.

What's next:

Verstappen, who won’t carry the #1 next season, remains unfazed: "I’m happy with myself... not in a state of having to worry about my skills." With Red Bull already adapting to 2026’s new regulations under chassis director Loic Serra, his focus shifts to reclaiming dominance—a mindset suggesting the narrow loss may fuel rather than fracture the team’s ambition. The Scuderia’s planned chassis overhaul will test whether their 2025 resilience translates into hardware capable of dethroning McLaren, though Verstappen’s calm demeanor indicates no psychological hangover from the heartbreaking finish.