Max Verstappen expresses sympathy for Lewis Hamilton after tough season

Max Verstappen has expressed sympathy for Lewis Hamilton after a hard 2025 season, successful which the Ferrari operator was not fortunate capable to amusement his afloat potential.

Although Hamilton won the sprint contention astatine the Chinese Grand Prix, helium struggled to lucifer Charles Leclerc for astir of the season. He failed to people a azygous podium decorativeness successful his archetypal play astatine Ferrari. The seven-time satellite champion appeared visibly dejected and confused astatine the extremity of the year, frustrated by the information that the SF-25 car was incapable to get the astir retired of it.

“Of people it wasn’t a bully play for him,” Verstappen told Viaplay. “You tin spot it successful everything, adjacent connected the squad vigor successful the car.”

The writer added that it was “really achy to watch,” to which the Dutchman replied: “To beryllium honest, I bash too. I don’t similar watching it. I don’t cognize astir the withdrawal. He won’t withdraw, he’ll decidedly beryllium there. But it’s not bully to watch.”

Rumors

These statements travel aft rumors of a imaginable aboriginal status of Hamilton from Formula 1, which the aboriginal 41-year-old was speedy to deny. Next year, Hamilton volition go the 4th oldest operator successful Formula 1 successful the 21st century, down Fernando Alonso, who volition crook 45 successful the 2026 play and inactive pb Aston Martin, overwhelmingly up of his workfellow Lance Stroll.

Verstappen added that with property drivers consciousness the carnal effects: "You endure much from assorted things. These cars are not precise comfy to thrust anyway. When you are older, it is earthy that you consciousness the effects more. Shoulders, back, neck. It takes a batch much effort to support the assemblage successful shape."

The Dutchman gave the illustration of Alonso from the 2023 season: "I deliberation that if Fernando had a apical car then, helium could person fought for the podium. Then you spot the combatant successful him again. But erstwhile you've already won a batch and you're driving for tenth place, past you inquire yourself: wherefore americium I doing this astatine all?"

Hamilton and Verstappen, though rivals, amusement communal respect, and Max has made it wide that the difficulties of this play person not affected his nonrecreational prospects.