Verstappen states that the 2025 championship is still 'lost.'

      "Regrettably, we fell behind another 10 points to Norris."

      Max Verstappen delivered one of the standout performances of the season in Brazil, making a remarkable recovery from a pitlane start to reach the podium after a difficult qualifying session that left him in 16th place, leading to a strategic decision for a pitlane start and significant setup alterations.

      

      "That was top-level damage control," Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko told ORF, as the reigning four-time world champion regained essential points in a race that keeps his title hopes alive. However, the ongoing question of why Red Bull's performance fluctuates so dramatically remains unresolved. Former driver Ralf Schumacher mentioned to Sky Deutschland that the issue lies with the Pirelli tyres.

      "I talked with Jos, who explained how challenging it is to get these tyres into their ideal operating range," Schumacher noted. "This could clarify why Mercedes and occasionally McLaren encounter difficulties. Still, that shouldn't apply to a leading team that has secured so many world championships."

      Marko concurred, stating, "We need to expand the operating window." He continued, "If the temperature rises by four degrees, the car starts to slide. There's a gap between simulation and reality - I hope we can address that before the final races. Unfortunately, we lost another 10 points to Norris."

      Despite the disappointment, Verstappen's comeback drive was impressive to those in the paddock. Brazil has frequently been a favorable venue for the Dutchman, and once again, he navigated through the pack with relative ease. "I don’t know why," Verstappen smiled. "It's not an especially long circuit. It has eight corners, but precision and clean driving are essential. It’s tough on the tyres. I can't quite understand it myself - but it always feels good."

      Even Lando Norris, who excelled throughout the weekend to increase his championship lead, acknowledged Verstappen's talent. "Honestly, seeing how fast Max was today - I’m quite disappointed we weren’t faster," the McLaren driver told reporters.

      However, Verstappen has long recognized that his championship aspirations were dwindling. "We didn’t lose the championship here," he told Viaplay on Sunday. "We lost it from race one until Zandvoort. We had many weekends where we simply weren’t quick enough. There were some good moments where we regained points, but not enough. That’s how the season unfolds."

      Nonetheless, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies insists the team will persevere until the end. "The most crucial aspect is that the car returned to form," he remarked. "We could compete again and achieve good lap times. We're aiming to provide him with a more enjoyable weekend in Las Vegas, while maintaining the speed we had here on Sunday."