Max Verstappen considers 2025 his best F1 season yet, despite not winning the title. Starting with an uncompetitive Red Bull, he mounted a stunning late-season charge, winning five of the last eight races to slash a 104-point deficit and enter the final round just 12 points behind, showcasing his peak driving form.
Red Bull's Oliver Mintzlaff explains the decision to replace Christian Horner, stating the company could no longer "rely on history" and needed a "new chapter," while addressing Helmut Marko's critical comments about the departed team principal.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies explains the team deliberately prolonged development of its troubled 2025 car to fully understand its flaws, believing the lessons learned are critical for success in the massive 2026 regulation change, where Red Bull will also become a first-time power unit manufacturer.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the sport is open to discussions about bringing the German Grand Prix back, but emphasizes that the German market itself must see it as a priority. He noted a decline in F1's popularity in Germany over recent decades and stated that with high global demand for races, the initiative for a return must come from within the country.
Nico Hulkenberg ended the longest podium drought in F1 history by finishing third at the 2025 British Grand Prix in his 239th start. The Sauber driver's strategic masterclass in mixed conditions capped a season where he consistently outperformed expectations, validating his reputation as one of the grid's most talented drivers despite years in midfield machinery.
Liam Lawson says the uncertainty over his F1 future was finally resolved after the Qatar GP, when Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane personally confirmed his seat for 2026. The clarity provided a mental relief, allowing him to end a season of tangible progress—including 38 points and a P5 in Baku—with renewed focus for the upcoming regulatory changes.
Guenther Steiner says Oscar Piastri has the talent to become F1 champion despite his 2025 title defeat, attributing the setback to experience and needing the right car at the right time for a driver in only his third season.
Despite falling short of the 2025 title, Oscar Piastri's season confirmed his meteoric rise, transforming from a rookie soundly beaten by teammate Lando Norris in 2023 to a near-equal title contender. His challenge now is mastering the season-long consistency required to convert his elite pace into a championship.
Lewis Hamilton describes his ideal Christmas dinner as a vegetable-heavy Sunday roast with crispy potatoes and gravy, followed by cheesecake or carrot cake and plenty of sweets. The Ferrari driver is enjoying a short festive break from his strict athlete's diet before 2026 pre-season testing begins.
American driver Jak Crawford has ended his Formula 2 career as the 2025 vice-champion and is now fully dedicated to his role as Aston Martin's third driver, having turned down a Formula E opportunity. He believes his three seasons in F2 have prepared him for F1, a goal he is singularly focused on achieving.
MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo compares rising star Pedro Acosta to Max Verstappen, highlighting their shared obsessive work ethic and disciplined, military-style upbringing as the key to their ultra-competitive success.
Lewis Hamilton is unperturbed by being outperformed by Charles Leclerc in his first Ferrari season, attributing the gap to Leclerc's long-established team setup. With his eyes on the 2026 regulation reset, Hamilton views 2025 as a necessary integration phase.
