Verstappen's 2025 Emilia-Romagna overtake wins Crypto.com Overtake of the Year award
Max Verstappen has won the 2025 Crypto.com Overtake of the Year award for his spectacular outside pass on Oscar Piastri to take the lead at the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, adding another accolade to his season.
Max Verstappen has added another award to his 2025 season, winning the Crypto.com Overtake of the Year for his stunning outside pass for the lead at the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The move, which saw him snatch the lead from Oscar Piastri into Turn 1, was deemed the season's best, edging out Charles Leclerc's daring outside pass on George Russell at Zandvoort. This award follows Verstappen recently receiving the Action of the Year honor at the FIA Gala, though both are consolation prizes in a season where the world championship trophy went to Lando Norris.
Why it matters:
While Verstappen did not reclaim the drivers' title in 2025, these accolades highlight that his raw speed and racecraft remained at an elite level. The Overtake of the Year award specifically recognizes a moment of high skill and bravery that defined a race start, underscoring that even in a season where the ultimate prize eluded him, Verstappen was capable of producing standout, race-winning maneuvers.
The details:
- The winning move occurred at the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, where Verstappen executed a clean but aggressive outside-line pass on Oscar Piastri to take the lead into the first corner.
- It beat out other notable overtakes for the honor, most notably Charles Leclerc's pass around the outside of George Russell at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
- This is the second award for Verstappen from the season, having also been recognized with the Action of the Year award at the recent FIA Prize Giving Gala.
The big picture:
The award comes amid broader debate about driver performance in 2025. Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins sparked discussion by naming Oscar Piastri—who led the championship for 15 races before a late-season dip—as her pick for best performer over Verstappen. While pundits largely backed the four-time champion, Collins' choice highlighted Piastri's strong campaign before his form faded. Verstappen's overtake award reinforces that his on-track prowess was never in doubt, even in a year where consistency and the championship crown went elsewhere.