Herbert dismisses Qatar incident as sole reason for Verstappen's lost 2025 title

Former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert has pushed back against claims that a specific on-track incident cost Max Verstappen the 2025 world championship, arguing that a title is decided over the entire season, not a single moment.

Why it matters:

In the immediate aftermath of a close championship fight, there's a natural tendency to pinpoint a single dramatic event as the turning point. Herbert's perspective reinforces the fundamental nature of motorsport, where luck, reliability, and race incidents across all 24 rounds collectively shape the final standings, challenging simplified narratives.

The details:

• Herbert, a three-time Grand Prix winner, specifically addressed the late-race clash between Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris in Qatar, which allowed Norris to gain a crucial position and two points.
• He emphasized the unpredictable nature of racing, stating, "You can always look back and say, well, if this had happened... But that's the way racing is."
• The analysis extends beyond Verstappen's rival, noting that Norris himself lost points through other misfortunes, including a retirement at the Dutch Grand Prix and the controversial application of team rules at McLaren.
• Herbert pointed to Norris's Dutch GP DNF as particularly impactful, calling it "not fair to Lando, but that's racing," and suggested the sporadic "Papaya rules" at McLaren also hindered Norris's own title bid.

The big picture:

Herbert's comments indirectly support Verstappen's own reported rebuttal to similar claims, which stressed that a championship is won over 24 rounds. This highlights a core philosophy in F1: while dramatic moments capture headlines, sustained performance and navigating a season's full spectrum of challenges—from mechanical failures to strategic calls and on-track contact—is what ultimately determines a champion. Isolating one event overlooks the cumulative points swing from numerous other races throughout the year.