Remember when Max Verstappen trailed by 104 points after Zandvoort? Remember when everyone declared the championship over? Helmut Marko remembers. And he also remembers telling everyone at Red Bull they could still win this thing. They thought he was mad. Turns out madness and genius look remarkably similar when McLaren’s involved.
Verstappen heads to Abu Dhabi trailing Lando Norris by just 12 points after Qatar delivered another masterclass in Red Bull strategy versus McLaren chaos. The Dutchman’s got a genuine shot at his fifth consecutive title. Which is absolutely mental considering where things stood eight races ago.
When Nobody Believed Except the Austrian With the Death Wish
Marko spoke to De Telegraaf after Qatar with the smugness of someone who’s been vindicated spectacularly. Back in July, when Laurent Mekies took over as team principal at Red Bull, the Austrian advisor addressed the factory troops with a simple message: it’s still possible, keep fighting.
“I said then that it was still possible and that we had to fight for it. So I’ve always been optimistic. Did people say I was crazy? Yes, maybe, but that happens more often.” – Helmut Marko
Brilliant understatement, that. “That happens more often.” The man’s entire career has been one long exercise in saying outrageous things that occasionally turn out correct. This time he might actually pull off the prophecy.
The numbers tell a ridiculous story. After Zandvoort, Verstappen was 70 points behind Norris and 104 behind Oscar Piastri. Dead and buried. Championship over. Time to focus on 2026. Except nobody told Verstappen or Red Bull strategist Hannah Schmitz.
Qatar’s Strategic Masterclass: When Basic Maths Defeats McLaren
Let’s recap the disaster that’s given Marko his miracle. Nico Hulkenberg crashed on lap seven. Safety car deployed. Every single team on the grid made the obvious call: pit immediately for cheap stops. Every team except McLaren, who left both their drivers out pursuing some fantasy scenario involving building 26 seconds in clean air.
Verstappen dived into the pits. Piastri and Norris stayed out. Red Bull’s gamble became McLaren’s nightmare. When the McLarens finally pitted for their second stops, their advantage had evaporated. Verstappen inherited the lead. Piastri fell to second. Norris dropped to fifth before salvaging fourth.
Brilliant strategic work from Red Bull? Absolutely. But also spectacularly terrible decision-making from Woking. As international media noted, even the press couldn’t contain their disbelief at McLaren’s incompetence.
Verstappen’s Zen Mode: When Losing Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Here’s what makes this title fight fascinating. Verstappen genuinely doesn’t care if he wins. Not in a defeatist way. In a “I’ve already exceeded expectations” way. He told reporters after Qatar he’s approaching Abu Dhabi with zero pressure.
“I know I’m 12 points down. I go in there with just positive energy. I’ll try everything I can but at the same time, if I don’t win it, I still know that I had an amazing season. So it doesn’t really matter. It takes a lot of the pressure off.” – Max Verstappen
Compare that mentality to Norris, who’s been making cynical comments about Verstappen knowing “a lot about some things but nothing about others.” That’s the sound of someone feeling the weight of expectation crushing them.
Verstappen’s already won. Not the championship necessarily, but the psychological battle. He’s resurrected a dead title campaign. Even finishing second represents a remarkable achievement after the nightmare first half of Red Bull’s season.
The Record That Nobody Expected
If Verstappen pulls this off, he equals Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive world championships. Only Schumacher managed that feat between 2000 and 2004. Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton all stopped at four consecutive titles.
Nobody expected another driver to even approach Schumacher’s streak. Certainly nobody expected it to happen after trailing by 104 points with eight races remaining. But here we are, watching Verstappen potentially write himself into the history books through sheer bloody-minded determination and McLaren’s inability to execute basic strategy.
Dad’s Missing the Finale: Jos Chooses Rally Over History
In perhaps the most bizarre subplot of this championship finale, Jos Verstappen won’t be in Abu Dhabi. Max’s father, who’s attended virtually every significant moment of his son’s career, will be competing in the East African Safari Classic Rally in Kenya instead.
From December 5th to 13th, Jos will be navigating Kenyan terrain in a 1970s Porsche 911 with co-driver Renaud Jamoul. Fair enough if you’ve already committed to the event. But missing your son’s potential fifth consecutive title to drive a classic car through Africa? That’s commitment to rallying.
Jos has apparently said he’ll monitor Max’s performance and could still pack his bags for Abu Dhabi if he retires from the rally early. How comforting. “I’ll only come watch you make history if my other plans fall through.” Father of the year material right there.
McLaren’s Positive Spin: When Stopping Dominance Means Losing Constantly
Andrea Stella’s trying desperately to put positive spin on McLaren’s implosion. The Italian told media that McLaren can be “the ones who stop Verstappen’s dominance.” Which sounds inspiring until you remember they’ve spent months actively handing him victories through strategic incompetence.
“The fact that we have this beautiful, phenomenal chance to compete for the drivers’ title and that we can be the ones who can stop Verstappen’s dominance… We want to take on that challenge at our best.” – Andrea Stella
Stella referenced working with Schumacher during Ferrari’s dominant years, noting how painful those early seasons were before the titles arrived. Nice historical parallel except Schumacher’s Ferrari wasn’t throwing away championships with the fastest car on the grid.
The McLaren boss emphasised the team’s “no blame culture” and determination to learn from mistakes. Lovely corporate speak. But maybe a little bit of blame would be healthy? Perhaps someone should face consequences for leaving both cars out during a safety car when literally everyone else pitted?
The Scenarios Nobody Expected to Calculate
Verstappen needs to finish ahead of Norris in Abu Dhabi. If he wins and Norris finishes fourth or lower, he’s champion. Even second or third could be enough depending on where the McLarens finish. Check the updated championship standings for all the mathematical possibilities.
Piastri’s still mathematically alive but needs everything to fall perfectly. He’s 16 points behind Norris and four behind Verstappen. Possible? Technically. Likely? Not when Australian senators are debating whether McLaren’s already cost him the title through team orders.
The most likely scenario? Verstappen wins, Norris finishes on the podium, and the Dutchman falls agonisingly short. But after Qatar, who’s betting against another McLaren disaster? Former Sauber boss Jonathan Wheatley certainly isn’t. When asked who he’d put his money on, his answer was simple: “Max.”
When Relaxation Beats Desperation
Verstappen admits Red Bull probably can’t beat McLaren on “pure pace” at Yas Marina. The circuit should suit the papaya cars better. So he’s banking on strategy, circumstances, and McLaren’s proven ability to snatch defeat from victory.
“On pure pace, we’re not at the same level. But when strategy comes into play or making the right calls at the right time, we might have the opportunity.” – Max Verstappen
That’s the difference between Red Bull and McLaren distilled into one quote. Red Bull knows their limitations and plans accordingly. McLaren thinks they’re faster so strategy doesn’t matter, then wonders why they keep losing races they should win.
Check the race schedule for Abu Dhabi timings. This championship finale promises to be either Verstappen’s greatest triumph or McLaren’s ultimate vindication. Given recent form, bet on the former.
