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Verstappen Joins Racing Legends with Season of Victories Despite Championship Loss
Despite falling short of teh championship title, Max Verstappen’s performance this season places him in esteemed company, alongside drivers like Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Alain Prost, adn Lewis Hamilton – all of whom achieved significant race wins without securing the championship crown. The question now becomes: where dose his 2025 performance rank among seasons of near-misses in Formula 1 history?
The debate surrounding drivers who arguably deserved a championship but were denied one is a long-standing one in motorsport. Names like Niki Lauda (1976), Gilles Villeneuve (1979), Ayrton senna (1989), and Lewis Hamilton (2007) frequently surface in these discussions.
However, many consider Fernando Alonso’s 2012 season with Ferrari to be the benchmark for a season of exceptional merit without a championship win. Alonso drove with remarkable consistency, keeping a Ferrari – which was, on average, the fourth fastest car – in contention until the very last race. He ultimately lost out to Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, but a senior official stated that had it not been for two incidents beyond his control, alonso woudl have easily been champion. Those incidents included a collision with Romain Grosjean’s Lotus at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix and a puncture caused by Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus in Japan.
There is no question about Verstappen’s skill and dedication this season.According to the driver himself, “I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times. I always tried to extract the most from it, even in the arduous weekends that we’ve had.” He acknowledged a shift in momentum towards the end of the season, noting that the last eight to nine rounds were “a lot more enjoyable” and characterized by a positive team atmosphere.
While acknowledging the disappointment of missing the title, Verstappen expressed a lack of regret. “Of course, shame to miss out on the title, but simultaneously occurring, for
