Max Verstappen chose to defend Red Bull after a season that did not appear to start in the best possible way, while also dropping a bombshell aimed directly at Ferrari. The four-time world champion spoke openly after a hard-fought championship, making it clear that his team deserved recognition for its resilience, while adding a pointed remark about how long some rivals have needed to return to winning ways.
The Dutch driver was keen to stand up for the team that once again allowed him to fight for the world championship. Red Bull proved capable of not surrendering to McLaren’s dominance, continuing to push throughout the season, but Verstappen also took the opportunity to fire a sharp comment in the direction of both Mercedes and Ferrari.
With 2026 approaching, the ground-effect era has largely been a hunting ground for the Milton Keynes-based team. However, the upcoming regulatory change will mark the end of an era, as Red Bull will no longer feature three iconic figures who shaped its history: Christian Horner, Adrian Newey and Helmut Marko. Max Verstappen nevertheless defended his team strongly, thanking Red Bull for enabling him to fight once again for the world title through continuous updates, even at a time when McLaren appeared untouchable.
The Dutchman reflected on how the championship ultimately concluded, while also sending a thinly veiled dig towards the Prancing Horse from Maranello, underlining the contrast between Red Bull’s ability to recover quickly and the long rebuilding processes faced by other historic teams.
Verstappen: “It hurts to lose by just two points, but…”
“Obviously it hurts to lose by just two points, but you have to be proud of the fact that within the same season we managed to put very difficult moments behind us and return to winning. There are teams that, to win again, have needed two or even twenty years,” Max Verstappen said.
Over the years, the Dutch driver has frequently taken subtle jabs at the Maranello-based team, and this comment fits into a pattern of pointed remarks aimed at Ferrari. Should Red Bull fail to be competitive in 2026, attention will inevitably turn to Verstappen’s future, with the possibility of a move to Mercedes, Aston Martin or even Ferrari being discussed.
For now, the future remains highly uncertain, and it is impossible to know whether this remark may have offended Ferrari’s senior management in any way. What is clear is that signing Max Verstappen would require one fundamental condition: a competitive car capable of fighting at the front. After all, it is true that Ferrari have not won a world championship for eighteen years, and that drought could yet continue for some time.
If that proves to be the case, then the jokes and sharp comments from rivals may simply have to be accepted in silence, at least until the Scuderia finds a way back to the top of Formula 1.
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