Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen remains circumspect about missing out on a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship during the 2025 Formula 1 season.
On paper, fans will look back and see that Max Verstappen missed out on winning the title by two points to Lando Norris.
However, Verstappen should never have been in the championship conversation after being more than 100 points off the top of the standings with nine race weekends to go.
Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen will be Mercedes teammates during their F1 career – change my mind
Comment below!
The Red Bull star delivered six wins in the final nine Grand Prix as McLaren continued to stumble and falter during the closing stages of the campaign.
Verstappen is beginning to emulate Sebastian Vettel in the paddock, and his reputation was only enhanced by his impressive comeback.
Jenson Button noticed a change in how fans reacted to Verstappen by the time he reached Interlagos this year.
The 28-year-old has now spoken about how being an ‘underdog’ for the first time in years meant that spectators started to change their perspective on him.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Max Verstappen says F1 fans are ‘finally’ starting to realise what he’s really like after 2025 season
It was put to Verstappen on the Talking Bull Podcast that he’s gaining more fans this season as he’s been playing catch-up.
He was asked how he felt about that and said: “It’s surprising!
I think, naturally, of course, with an underdog role, people will start to support you a bit more.
“But I guess maybe they finally start to realise who I am. What you see is what you get, good or bad!
“I mean, it works for me. It’s how I want to be. Don’t try to be a fake person in the paddock or whatever, that’s just not how I am.
Change our minds: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will never battle against each other for an F1 championship again
“And especially, of course, in F1, when you have a lot of success or in general, you’re doing well, it’s easy to maybe forget about that.
“But that’s why it’s very important to always have the most important people around you that actually do tell you if you’re maybe acting a bit out or weird.
“ I am very lucky that, of course, I have a great family but also really good friends.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links
Lando Norris learnt how Max Verstappen has been feeling during the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen hasn’t always been the most popular driver on the grid throughout his career.
Some of his more daring moves didn’t always sit right with many fans, and Verstappen’s radio messages haven’t always been perceived in the right way.
However, the 2025 campaign highlighted just how exceptional Verstappen is as he dragged a car that was inferior to McLaren’s to more race wins than any other driver.
Formula 1 fans love a hero and a villain, and this year, Norris took on the mantle as the most divisive figure in the paddock.
Norris was booed at the Mexico City Grand Prix after winning the race by nearly 30 seconds.
It was arguably his best performance of 2025, but fans weren’t upset with anything he did that weekend.
Instead, it’s believed that fans thought Oscar Piastri was badly treated by McLaren at Monza when he had to give up a position to his teammate due to a slow pit stop.
Norris was told fans wanted him to hand Piastri a position back to keep things fair, but that swap ultimately earned the British driver the championship instead of Verstappen.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
