The Formula 1 season concluded with a crescendo of high-stakes drama, sealing the fate of one of the most competitive and unpredictable campaigns in recent memory. While the tension-filled finale in Abu Dhabi may not have been the most thrilling race on its own, it was the culmination of a year defined by tectonic shifts: the rise of a new world champion, an unprecedented leadership collapse at a dominant team, and the painful struggle of a legend in a new, red environment.

In a special review of the season, former Alpine executive director Marson Budkowski, alongside the Racing News 365 team, dissected the multi-layered campaign, identifying the pivotal moments that crowned Lando Norris, allowed Max Verstappen to cement his elite status despite losing, and exposed the deep fractures forming at the very top of the sport. The season was truly exceptional, delivering a far more competitive landscape than anyone had anticipated, culminating in an emotionally charged finale that kept fans on the very edge of their seats.

The Crowned King: Lando Norris’s Calculated Triumph

Lando Norris, the World Drivers’ Champion, earned his title through a combination of timely performance, McLaren’s steady car development, and, crucially, a complete internal mental and emotional reset. Budkowski acknowledged that any of the top three title contenders would have been worthy champions, but Norris ultimately deserved the glory.

Yet, his victory was not without doubt. In the Abu Dhabi finale, Norris looked “flaky” and “vulnerable” in the first half of the race, being cautious and slower while under pressure from Charles Leclerc. It was a moment that played into the pre-race punditry, which largely favored the momentum of a hard-charging Max Verstappen. However, a switch occurred. In the second part of the race, Norris was “much, much stronger,” demonstrating a “strong head” and the determination to take necessary risks, such as an impressive move on Esteban Ocon, at the very moment he had everything to lose.

This late-season composure stemmed from a profound shift in the McLaren driver’s approach. Budkowski suspected that earlier in the season, Norris had become “too preoccupied” with beating his teammate, Oscar Piastri. This focus on the other side of the garage—analyzing telemetry, setup, and onboards to an obsessive degree—is a common pitfall when a driver loses confidence, leading them to think from a position of weakness.

The turning point was an admission by Norris himself: he stopped looking at time comparisons and started focusing only on his own times. As lead editor Ian Parks noted, the key change was an overhaul of his “extended team in the background,” restructuring his support network of friends, family, and trainers to gain the belief and confidence he needed. This support system helped him prove himself wrong, especially after the retirement at Zandvoort that saw him fall 34 points behind Piastri, giving him the mental fortitude to fight back and eventually defeat Verstappen by a mere two points. McLaren’s strategic masterstroke in Abu Dhabi, pitting Oscar Piastri onto the Hard tyre early, also played a crucial role, preventing Verstappen from deploying tactics that could have complicated Norris’s run to the necessary third place. Ultimately, Lando Norris delivered on the on-track promise his inner change had unlocked.

The Uncrowned Titan: Max Verstappen’s Paradoxical Year

Despite losing the number one on his car, Max Verstappen cemented his status as the sport’s top driver, according to Budkowski. This seemingly paradoxical statement reflects the Dutchman’s staggering second-half performance, which saw him launch one of the most remarkable comebacks in F1 history.

After the Zandvoort Grand Prix, Verstappen was a daunting 104 points adrift of the championship leader. Yet, a technical and operational click occurred at Red Bull, and from the Italian Grand Prix onwards, Verstappen was simply unmatchable, securing seven victories in the final nine races of the season. This astonishing run—podiums in every single race after the summer break—was a staggering level of performance.

However, the season did not end with the five-time champion he undoubtedly felt he should have been. Verstappen’s inability to capture the title was a combination of Red Bull’s initial lack of competitiveness, which left the car “not up to par for a big part of the season,” and his own personal “devils or demons” that led to missed opportunities and mistakes. As Budkowski asserted, Verstappen is a “competitor” and a “serial winner,” and while he may downplay the importance of another title, the loss will sting.

The true focus now shifts to the seismic changes at Red Bull, which threaten the stability Max has enjoyed.

The Piastri Puzzle: Where It All Went Wrong

Oscar Piastri began the season as “Mr. Consistency” and looked like a “shoe-in” for the championship at one point. His eventual collapse, however, was as spectacular as Verstappen’s comeback. Budkowski believes Piastri’s downturn was a combination of technical reasons—his driving style being less suited to the low-grip circuits in the latter part of the year—and significant mental aspects.

The mental strain appeared to manifest in “a spectacular mistake” in Baku, which was uncharacteristic for the young driver. More critically, his decline was linked directly to the “Papaya Rules,” McLaren’s policy to prevent their drivers from crashing into each other. What started as a simple, good-faith intention escalated into a “monster” with numerous ramifications, influencing the team’s strategy and the drivers’ on-track behavior.

The policy led to massive confusion. In Monza, Piastri was asked to seed position to Norris, which he contested, saying, “I thought racing incidents we were just going to let go.” The strategy disaster in Qatar, which cost Piastri a dominant win, further fuelled the belief within his camp that the team was unconsciously biased towards the long-serving Lando Norris.

Budkowski pointed to the ridiculous crash in Austin, where Piastri swerved across the track and collided with his teammate. Piastri, obsessed with not hitting Norris, forgot about the other cars around him. “When you ask drivers to drive in a non-instinctive way, it goes wrong,” Budkowski warned, citing Daniel Ricciardo’s similar struggles at the team. This internal conflict, driven by the team’s rules, led to a loss of instinct and confidence, ultimately leading to the demise of his title challenge.

The question now is the long-term viability of the Norris-Piastri partnership. Given the doubts sown in the Piastri camp, the future holds a decisive year, with the possibility of the Australian leaving if competitiveness wanes or the internal fighting increases.

Red Bull’s Seismic Shift: The Post-Era Crisis

Perhaps the biggest story with the furthest-reaching implications is the unprecedented power shift at Red Bull. Ian Parks highlighted the “huge transformation,” with the loss of two main protagonists in a matter of months: Christian Horner and Helmut Marko stepping down after 20 years. The team is now entering a brand new era, with the Austrian organization taking far greater control, which Budkowski speculated had created an unsustainable tension with Marko.

The core issue for Red Bull’s future, however, is the power unit. The team is embarking on a colossal challenge to produce their own engine. Budkowski, having experienced the immense difficulty and cost of engine development at Renault, admitted the decision to build their own engine was “a huge mountain to climb.” Despite hiring top talent and investing heavily in infrastructure, the sheer complexity means the engine remains the “biggest Achilles heel” and the greatest risk to their campaign.

This engine question is the key to Max Verstappen’s future. If Red Bull produces another dominant car next, Max will stay. But the crisis creates a “window of opportunity” for him to leave, and Budkowski believes there is a “good chance he will leave” if the engine/car combination proves uncompetitive.

Compounding the problem is the promotion of Isack Hadjar to the second Red Bull seat. While Hadjar has talent, there are major concerns about his temperament. Ian Parks recalled interviewing Hadjar, who admitted he was being “pragmatic” because he “already knew I’m going to be beaten by Max.” This “defeatism,” Parks warned, could be his ultimate downfall, as going up against a driver of Verstappen’s calibre requires a bulletproof mentality to continually pick himself up after being beaten week after week.

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Humiliation

Finally, the season will be remembered for the painful start to Lewis Hamilton’s tenure at Ferrari. The stats are brutal: no podiums, and a staggering 86 points fewer than his teammate, Charles Leclerc. Budkowski was shocked by how badly the season went, especially the latter races, where multiple Q1 exits were “very, very painful to watch” for any F1 fan.

Hamilton, normally the consummate professional, was visibly lost for words, raising his hand and taking responsibility, but his “demeanor” was one of a driver who was “going worse and worse.” The move, initially viewed by Budkowski as more of a “PR and marketing move than a driver move,” was now clearly a challenge that had backfired spectacularly.

The seven-time champion has now asked for significant behind-the-scenes changes to be implemented over the short winter break. His future hinges entirely on the success of the upcoming car and its alignment with his preference for a machine that allows him to attack corners and hit the power on the exit. If the car is not competitive, and he is not enjoying his racing, Budkowski believes he will not “hang around,” and there will be an “easy discussion” about calling it a day, potentially a third of the way into the season.

The season has delivered on all fronts: a fairytale ending for Lando Norris, a stark reminder of Max Verstappen’s unparalleled talent, a sobering lesson on the mental fragility of top athletes in Oscar Piastri, and a humiliating wake-up call for Lewis Hamilton. But most importantly, it has set the stage for an explosive future, an era of new regulations, new power units, and a leadership void that makes the future of the sport more uncertain—and more captivating—than ever before.