Marko’s Exit, Red Bull’s Rift: The Power Shift Before 2026

The 2025 Formula One season is over… and this episode is your deep exhale after an Abu Dhabi finale that still doesn’t feel real. We break down how Lando Norris finally captured his maiden World Championship after nine years with McLaren—clinching it by just two points—and why that razor-thin margin (423–421) instantly turns the entire season into a story of pressure, consistency, and nerves of steel. From there, we rewind the chaos and zoom in on the human drama that made this title fight so gripping: Max Verstappen’s ferocious late-season surge (including a race win in Abu Dhabi and a staggering comeback attempt from more than 100 points down), the moments that swung the momentum, and the debate over whether one costly incident can define an entire 24-race campaign. We also dig into the fallout at Red Bull, including the shock retirement of Helmut Marko and what his exit could mean for the team’s stability heading into a regulation revolution. On the McLaren side, we unpack the “papaya rules” tension and Oscar Piastri’s complicated season—huge pace, big wins, and the uncomfortable reality of being the teammate who almost took the crown. What happens to a driver’s psychology after losing an internal title fight, and how fragile does that dynamic become when the sport is about to reset? And then there’s the biggest curveball: Lewis Hamilton’s brutal first year at Ferrari. No podiums, a car with fundamental limitations, public frustration, and the looming question of whether 2026 is his real target—and his last, best shot at an eighth title. Finally, we turn the page to the “great reset” of 2026: power-unit changes, the end of the MGU-H, a heavier reliance on electric deployment, active aerodynamics, the end of DRS as we know it, and a new push-to-pass style overtaking philosophy that could reshape what “driver advantage” even means. Add an expanding grid, major driver-market movement, and the governance and calendar shifts that set the stage—and you’ve got the perfect storm for F1’s next era. If 2025 was a thriller, 2026 looks like a full reboot. The only question is: who’s built to win the new game?

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