Max Verstappen believes he and Red Bull "haven't been good enough" over the course of the F1 season to win the drivers' championship.
The Dutchman is 49 points behind Lando Norris, who tops the standings, with three rounds — including one sprint weekend — left to go this year.
A difficult period for the four-time F1 drivers' champion and the Milton Keynes-based squad in the middle part of the campaign saw him cut adrift in the title fight as the McLaren driver and team-mate Oscar Piastri grabbed control.
However, the floor upgrade Red Bull introduced at the Italian Grand Prix, coupled with new ways of working at six-time constructors' champions under the leadership of new boss Laurent Mekies, transformed Verstappen's fortunes — and propelled him back into championship contention.
Three victories and four podium finishes in the past seven rounds have allowed Verstappen to close to within 25 points of Piastri, but back-to-back wins for Norris in the other MCL39 mean his hopes of a fifth crown are now extremely thin.
Over the São Paulo Grand Prix weekend, the 28-year-old ruled himself out of contention, even if it is still mathematically possible with 83 points up for grabs.
Speaking with Sky Sports F1 after his superb drive from the pit lane to the podium at Interlagos, Verstappen stated it was a "surprise" to be back in battle at all.
"We already lost way too many points, of course, in the beginning of the season till the middle of the season," he said.
"So that we were in that [the F1 drivers' title fight] up until now already was quite a surprise, but we have to be realistic."
The 68-time grand prix winner explained that it was his meagre returns earlier in the year that have ultimately left him in the position he now finds himself.
"I think over the whole season, we haven't been good enough, but we will still try everything we can till the end of the season to score some highlights and try to win races," he added. "That's what we are here for."
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