Verstappen claimed his sixth win of the 2025 campaign under the lights on Saturday, finishing well ahead of Lando Norris before the McLaren driver and his teammate Oscar Piatsri were later disqualified for a technical infringement.
The result cut Verstappen’s deficit to 24 points in the Drivers’ Championship with only the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds remaining.
Red Bull have endured an inconsistent year, having struggled for pace through the middle part of the season. With teams such as McLaren and Mercedes mounting regular challenges, Verstappen admitted the victories now “feel completely different” compared to the likes of his dominant 2023 run.
“It’s because they do not come as easy as 2023,” the three-time world champion said. “Back then it felt like ticking boxes. Now it is not like that, and we came from a very tough period, already last year.
“This year, it has been annoying at some stages as well. Everyone was not happy with the performances.”
The Dutchman added that the team’s late-season resurgence has lifted the entire garage and contributed to the passionate scenes that followed his Las Vegas triumph.
“You need to enjoy that because it gives a big motivational boost for everyone,” he said. “It works the same for me. After the difficult races we have had, wins like this mean a lot more.”
The penultimate round of the season takes Formula 1 to Lusail for the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, 30 November, where 57 laps of the 5.380-kilometre Losail International Circuit will further shape the title fight between Verstappen and Norris.
