F1 fans are used to debating steward calls, team orders, and title outcomes, but what they did not expect was to be arguing over an end-of-season fan award. That is precisely what happened after Max Verstappen was named the winner of the 2025 Overtake of the Year award, beating Charles Leclerc in a result that left many fans confused and annoyed.
At first glance, the backlash seemed odd as Verstappen’s overtake that won the award was spectacular, but the issue was never about the quality of the move. It was about how the result appeared to contradict what fans had actually voted for, raising questions about how much fan opinion really matters in modern F1.
Max Verstappen’s Imola Move That Stole the Spotlight
Verstappen is one of the defining drivers of his generation. As a four-time world champion, the Dutchman has built a reputation for being aggressive and technically brilliant behind the wheel. Even in a season where he narrowly missed out on the championship, he was still often the benchmark.
The overtake that earned him the award was at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix when Verstappen lined up second on the grid behind Oscar Piastri and looked slightly too far back to mount a serious challenge into the first chicane. Verstappen braked incredibly late and committed to the outside line, and smoothly swept past the McLaren.
From there, he never looked back as the pass effectively decided the race, and Verstappen went on to claim a dominant victory, which was the first win of his 2025 campaign and a moment that signaled Red Bull’s revival after a difficult start to the year.
Former Alpine executive Marcin Budkowski had summed it up perfectly when he said Verstappen made Piastri look like he was in a junior category F2 car, while others compared the move to classic overtakes from Nigel Mansell’s era.
The award itself did not seem outrageous, but the controversy arose from what happened next, when certain things began to surface on social media.
F1 Fans Felt Ignored by the Voting Process
F1 promoted the ‘Overtake of the Year’ award as fan-voted, and they were asked to choose between a shortlist of standout moves, including Verstappen’s Imola pass and Leclerc’s bold overtake on George Russell at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Screenshots began circulating on social media showing Leclerc clearly having the highest votes as the Ferrari driver’s move at Zandvoort was perfect, and had earned widespread praise.
However, F1 announced Verstappen as the winner, and the reaction was immediate, as fans questioned why a visible poll was even held if the final result did not align with it. “I’m a Verstappen fan, and this overtake was clear of anything else but why do a poll if you’ll overthrow it at the end,” one fan questioned. While another fan wrote, “If you’re not going to respect people’s votes, don’t waste their time.”
Another fan wrote, “This is rigged lmaoo we can see the votes while voting btw.” While another fan wrote, “what’s the point of a FAN VOTED award if you aren’t going to let the one that actually won win???”
One fan tried to explain the situation, saying, “I think they may have added a jury vote this time that they didn’t mention; either way, it sucks.”
None of this diminishes Verstappen’s brilliance, as despite finishing just two points behind Lando Norris in the title fight, the 28-year-old delivered relentless performances in a not-so-fast car, and his late-season charge was highlighted by six wins in the final nine races and reminded everyone of his exceptional talent.
However, the overtake award controversy highlights a broader trust issue as F1 has pushed hard to engage fans through voting and social media interaction. Still, those votes appeared to have been entirely ignored without explanation.
