Verstappen Claims Crypto.com Overtake of the Year Award for 2025
Max Verstappen has won the Crypto.com Overtake of the Year award for 2025 for his outside pass on Oscar Piastri at the start of the Emilia-Romagna GP. The award adds to his Action of the Year honor, highlighting his standout racecraft in a season where the championship went to Lando Norris. The selection process sparked debate after a panelist named Piastri the season's best performer, despite his third-place finish.
Max Verstappen has added the Crypto.com Overtake of the Year award to his 2025 season honors, recognized for his bold outside pass for the lead at the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The move, which saw him snatch first place from Oscar Piastri into Turn 1, ultimately edged out Charles Leclerc's daring outside pass on George Russell at Zandvoort for the top spot. This award follows Verstappen recently receiving F1's Action of the Year at the FIA Gala, capping a season where his on-track prowess remained undeniable, even as the ultimate championship prize went to Lando Norris.
Why it matters:
While individual accolades are a consolation compared to the Drivers' Championship, they highlight the specific moments of skill and daring that define a season. Verstappen's recognition for overtaking excellence underscores his aggressive and effective racecraft, which remained a constant threat throughout 2025. It also spotlights the fine margins in fan and expert voting, where one spectacular move can define a driver's season in the public eye, separate from the final championship standings.
The details:
The award-winning maneuver was a classic Verstappen move: a committed, around-the-outside lunge at the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to take the lead from Oscar Piastri. This particular pass was voted ahead of another standout candidate, Charles Leclerc's similar outside pass on George Russell at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. The decision by the award's panel, which included former Aston Martin strategist Bernadette Collins, to name Piastri as the season's overall best performer sparked significant debate among fans. This was especially notable given Piastri's late-season dip in form, which saw him finish third in the championship after leading for much of the year.
The big picture:
The 2025 season awards landscape reflects a year of intense competition and narrative shifts. Verstappen, a four-time champion, continues to be celebrated for his peak performance moments, even in a year where he did not claim the title. Meanwhile, the debate around Piastri's recognition highlights the subjective nature of evaluating a driver's entire campaign versus their peak achievements. It underscores how a driver can be dominant for a long stretch—Piastri led for 15 races—yet have their season remembered for its conclusion. These awards serve as post-season talking points that keep fan engagement high during the off-season, analyzing the year through different lenses beyond the final points table.
What's next:
For Verstappen, these awards are acknowledgments of a season where his raw speed was never in question. The focus for him and Red Bull will now squarely be on regrouping for 2026 to reclaim the championship. For Piastri and McLaren, the late-season form will be a key area of analysis during the winter, as converting a long championship lead into a title is the final step in their ascent. As the off-season continues, these kinds of awards and the debates they spark help maintain the narrative threads of the season until testing begins anew.