No awards for Max Verstappen, McLaren, or Marc Marquez at the Laureus Sports Awards 2025. Max Verstappen, McLaren, and Marc Marquez missed out on awards at the 2025 Laureus Sports Awards.

Laureus Sports Awards, Max Verstappen goes without an award
None of the motorsport stars were awarded at the 2025 Laureus Sports Awards ceremony, which took place on Monday evening in Madrid. Max Verstappen, who was nominated for “Sportsman of the Year” for his 2024 Formula 1 world title win, despite having a car considered inferior to that of his competitors for most of the season, came away empty-handed. The award was instead given to Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the famous Swedish pole vaulter who won the gold medal in his specialty at the recent Paris Olympics and has repeatedly broken and improved the world record.

McLaren beaten by Real Madrid
No luck either for McLaren, the team that won the 2024 F1 Constructors’ title after a fierce battle with Ferrari. The Woking team, which returned to the top of the world after ending a drought that had lasted since 1998, was nominated for “Team of the Year.” However, the victory went to the football team Real Madrid, who, under the guidance of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, won both La Liga and the Champions League in 2024.

Rebeca Andrade preferred to Marc Marquez
Finally, there was disappointment for Marc Marquez: the Spanish Ducati star, who is dominating the current MotoGP season, was a candidate in the “Comeback of the Year” category, which awards athletes who have returned to the top after a difficult period. Regaining competitiveness aboard the Gresini Ducati team and finishing the 2024 MotoGP season in third place behind Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia, however, was not enough for the judges. The 2025 Laureus Sports Award for the category went instead to Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who won the gold medal in floor exercise at the Paris Olympics.

Other Laureus Sports Awards 2025
Other awards went to the young Barcelona and Spain footballer Lamine Yamal, winner of the “Breakthrough of the Year” category, the famous American gymnast Simone Biles, awarded “Sportswoman of the Year,” the Lesotho football team Kick4Life in the “Sport for Good” category, British cyclist Thomas Pidcock as “Alternative Sportsman of the Year,” and Chinese swimmer Jiang Yuyan as “Disabled Sportsman/Sportswoman of the Year.” Famous former tennis player Rafael Nadal received the 2025 Laureus Sports Award as “Sporting Icon,” while American surfer Kelly Slater was awarded the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”