Verstappen: Hamilton’s 8th Title Ambition Still Alive

Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton will rediscover his full motivation and competitive edge with Ferrari in the upcoming season.

The Mercedes F1 driver secured two Grand Prix victories in 2024, at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps (after George Russell’s disqualification), and will join Ferrari in 2025.

Hamilton had hoped for a stronger end to his tenure with Mercedes F1, particularly aiming for an eighth title, but continues to struggle with the W15… even more so than George Russell, who has performed much better in recent weeks. In Qatar, Hamilton made it clear he was ready for a fresh start (read here).

“It’s been hard for Lewis to fully motivate himself this year because he knows he’s leaving the team,” said Max Verstappen, when asked about his 2021 rival’s mindset.

“I felt that when he had a competitive Mercedes in the summer and there was a chance to win, you could see he had really stepped up. Then there were races where the car was tough, and I think he probably thought, ‘Whatever now.’”

The Dutchman doesn’t rule out battling Hamilton next season.

“I don’t think he’ll ever give up on his pursuit of an eighth title. He’s achieved so much. Next year is a new challenge for him. He’ll be very, very motivated to prove he’s not a seven-time world champion by chance. But that will depend on the equipment he has.”

Uncharacteristically kind words from him…

“Some people don’t have the right mentality; they see everyone as an enemy, both on and off the track. That’s certainly not me. I know how to separate things. I don’t need to play mind games. I don’t need to put myself in a state where I have to hate everyone. Honestly, I don’t care. I just live my life.”