Verstappen: The fightback this year was really fun

The Dutchman had a chance to claim a record-equalling fifth successive Drivers' Title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a 12-point deficit to Norris.

His final race weekend of 2025 got off to a stellar start on Saturday, as he secured pole position by over two tenths of a second from Norris, with fellow Championship contender Oscar Piastri just behind in third.

Needing to overturn a 12-point gap, it wasn't going to be enough for Verstappen to win the 58-lap Grand Prix. He also needed Norris to finish in fourth position or worse.

The hope of defending his Drivers' Title increased in the early stages of the race when Norris lost a place to Piastri and was put under pressure by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. However, the McLaren driver held firm and eventually crossed the line in P3, beating Verstappen in the Standings by a mere two points.

While it wasn't to be Title number five for the Red Bull driver, he still appeared positive in front of media after climbing out of his RB21.

Speaking immediately after a tense 58 laps around the Yas Marina Circuit, Verstappen started off by congratulating his team for bringing him into a Title fight that looked impossible at the halfway stage of the season.

He said: "I think we've had a rollercoaster of a year, especially in the beginning.

"But I think how we have turned it around and the results we have achieved after having tough times after a race where you just don't know why it's this bad and this inconsistent is not easy.

"The team has really showed they never give up. It's easy to say 'this is it, it's 100 points+ and the season is done'," Verstappen stated.

Although Championship glory evaded his grasp this time, Verstappen was still keen to point out that he thoroughly enjoyed battling it out with Norris and Piastri in the latter half of the 2025 campaign.

He added: "They always kept trying to understand the issues and it's been really fun, the fightback has been really fun.

"At the end it doesn't matter if you finish behind by one point, 10 points or 20 points. You're behind.

"It's two points at the end, but it's been cool. I've been enjoying it," concluded the 28-year-old.

Formula 1 will return in 2026 with all-new technical regulations. The first Grand Prix will take place in Australia, and commences 8 March 2026 at 04:00 GMT (15:00 local time).