Following a "roller coaster" season which he termed the best performance of his 11-year career, Max Verstappen said this week he had a love-hate relationship with his Red Bull car after falling two points shy of his fifth world championship.
"I think the performance has been strong," the 28-year-old Dutchman said. "I've hated this car at times, but I've also loved it at times. And I always tried to extract the most from it, even in the difficult weekends that we've had."
Trailing at one point by 104 points after winning just two first-half races, Verstappen went on an impressive run by winning five of eight Grands Prix.
That scalding stretch moved him within 12 points of eventual champion Lando Norris of McLaren entering the season finale.
Verstappen prevailed in the finale at Abu Dhabi, but because Norris made it to the podium – finishing third – he later claimed the title by two points (423-421).
Despite issues throughout the season with his car, Verstappen praised the team and is already looking forward to the 2026 campaign.
"I mean, I have no regrets about my season," he said. "Also, in the team, we have a great atmosphere at the moment. We're really on a roll – positive energy, belief, confidence – and that's exactly what you want heading into next year."