Steiner: Verstappen's epic 2025 comeback won't overshadow Norris's title win
Guenther Steiner argues that while Max Verstappen's incredible 2025 comeback from a 100+ point deficit was dramatic, history will remember Lando Norris's first championship victory more. He believes Verstappen's legacy as a multi-time champion is secure, making a single near-miss less defining than Norris's breakthrough title.
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Max Verstappen's remarkable 2025 comeback drive, which fell just two points short of the title, will ultimately be remembered less than Lando Norris's championship-winning season. Steiner argues that while motorsport enthusiasts will recall the dramatic fight, Verstappen will be remembered primarily as a champion, whereas Norris's achievement of becoming a first-time title winner will define the season's legacy.
Why it matters:
This perspective challenges the narrative that a heroic comeback is more memorable than a consistent title-winning campaign. It touches on how F1 history is written—often favoring the name on the trophy over the dramatic story of the runner-up. With Verstappen already a four-time champion, his near-miss, however spectacular, may fade against Norris's breakthrough moment.
The details:
- Verstappen's 2025 season was defined by a comeback from a deficit of over 100 points after the Dutch Grand Prix, only to lose the championship by two points in Abu Dhabi.
- Norris secured his first title with a calculated third-place finish in the finale, demonstrating a strong late-season surge.
- Steiner, speaking on the Red Flags podcast, stated that while "enthusiasts and petrol heads won't forget" Verstappen's charge, in broader memory, "a lot of people will have forgotten about the season" in a few years.
- He emphasized that Verstappen's legacy is secure as a multiple champion, making this specific season less defining for him compared to Norris, for whom it is a career-defining achievement.
Between the lines:
Steiner's view highlights a common theme in sports history: the winner often takes the lion's share of lasting glory. It also subtly underscores the different pressures and narratives for a driver chasing a first title versus one adding to an existing collection. The comments come alongside other paddock opinions, such as Riccardo Patrese's belief that Charles Leclerc, not the new champion Norris, is the only driver capable of matching Verstappen in equal machinery—a reminder that a single title doesn't instantly rewrite the established hierarchy in the eyes of all observers.
What's next:
The debate over the 2025 season's legacy will continue, but history's final judgment will be written by the coming years. If Norris builds a dynasty, 2025 will be seen as the start. If Verstappen returns to dominate, his near-miss may be remembered as a thrilling aberration. For now, Norris has the trophy, and in F1, that is the most durable fact.