Verstappen reflects on title defeat with 'pregnant or not' analogy

Max Verstappen accepted his narrow defeat in the Abu Dhabi title decider with a characteristically blunt analogy, summing up the two-point margin to champion Lando Norris by stating, "You’re either pregnant or you’re not. You’re not half-pregnant, right?" The Dutchman, who finished second in the race and the championship, expressed pride in his team's dramatic mid-season turnaround, even suggesting he felt better about this year's fight than his dominant 2024 title win.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's reaction reveals a driver and team at peace with a monumental effort that fell just short, shifting the narrative from defeat to a remarkable recovery story. His pragmatic take on the tiny points gap underscores a champion's mindset: you either win or you don't. More importantly, his satisfaction with the season's progression signals Red Bull's successful rebound from a performance slump, setting a formidable precedent for their 2026 title challenge.

The details:

• Verstappen lost the championship by two points after Norris strategically managed a third-place finish in Abu Dhabi, securing the title without winning the race.
• The Red Bull driver highlighted the team's fortunate moments, including Sergio Perez's disqualification in Las Vegas, which kept him in contention.
• He emphasized the binary nature of the result, dismissing the significance of the margin: "it doesn’t really matter whether it’s one point, half a point, or twenty points."
• Despite the loss, Verstappen admitted, "I actually feel a lot better now," compared to his feelings after winning the 2024 title, which was marred by Red Bull's late-season performance decline.

The big picture:

This season finale caps a dramatic year defined by a resurgent McLaren and a resilient Verstappen. After a mid-season dip where the RB20 lost its edge, Red Bull's engineering push brought them back to winning form, culminating in a Vegas victory and a title fight that went down to the wire. Verstappen's pride in this comeback, rather than despair over the loss, demonstrates a team that has rebuilt its competitive momentum and is poised as a major threat for the future.

What's next:

The focus for Verstappen and Red Bull immediately shifts to 2026. The late-season performance proves the team can develop a car back to a winning level. With stable regulations for 2025, the battle is expected to pick up right where it left off, with Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari all in the mix. Verstappen's philosophical closure on 2025 allows the team to channel all energy into ensuring the next championship fight ends with a different result.