'No Regrets' For Max Verstappen: Dutchman Calls 2025 His Best Year Despite Norris Stealing F1 Title

Last Updated:December 08, 2025, 09:54 IST

Max Verstappen lost the 2025 F1 title to Lando Norris by two points but thanked Red Bull and Honda, calling it his best season.

Max Verstappen after his Abu Dhabi GP win (X)

Max Verstappen walked out of Abu Dhabi without the championship — but with zero regrets.

Despite losing the 2025 F1 title to Lando Norris by just two points, the four-time champion relayed his heartfelt thanks to a heartbroken Red Bull team through a radio message after his Abu Dhabi win, which instantly went viral.

“I’m not disappointed. I’m proud. We never gave up — and look how close we came. Thank you to Honda for all the years and for closing it in style."

Afterwards, the Dutchman insisted this season was the best driving of his career, a campaign he dragged back from the brink after a nightmare start.

“I mean, I have no regrets about my season. I think the performance has been strong"

“I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times. And I always tried to extract the most out of it, even on the difficult weekends that we have had.

“It’s been like I said before, a proper roller coaster with the car, but luckily, the last, I would say, eight, nine rounds in general have been a lot more enjoyable.

“And also in the team, we have a great atmosphere at the moment, we’re really on a roll, positive energy, belief, confidence, and that’s exactly what you want also heading into next year."

At mid-season, Verstappen and Red Bull were nowhere, buried after races like Hungary, where he finished nearly a minute off the win.

But under Laurent Mekies, the RB21 transformed, and so did Verstappen — slicing down a 104-point deficit with a furious run of form that turned 2025 into a three-way brawl between him and the McLarens.

Even with victory No. 71 at Yas Marina, the gap was just too big to completely erase. Norris prevailed, but Verstappen handled defeat with trademark steel — and genuine pride.

It wasn’t his fifth title. But it might’ve been the season that defined Max Verstappen, the pure racer.

News sports formula-one 'No Regrets' For Max Verstappen: Dutchman Calls 2025 His Best Year Despite Norris Stealing F1 Title

Read More