Max Verstappen warns Lewis Hamilton he’s not going to get any ‘faster’ at the age of 40

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Max Verstappen has given his take on why former title rival Lewis Hamilton has struggled at Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton is two races away from the first podium-less season of his F1 career.

Hamilton has spent the year largely trailing teammate Charles Leclerc, and his confidence has reached an all-time low. He’s recently called 2025 a ‘nightmare’ and the ‘worst season ever’.

At one stage, Hamilton even suggested that Ferrari should replace him because he was so ‘useless’. While these comments are often put down to adrenaline, that explanation carries less weight when it becomes an ongoing trend.

Hamilton says Leclerc has a significant advantage because he’s been with the team for so long. But a 16-3 deficit in the race head-to-head is surely far worse than he expected.

Max Verstappen tells Lewis Hamilton that age isn’t on his side

Speaking to the Press Association ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Verstappen agreed that Hamilton is in a ‘very tough’ position at Ferrari against a driver who ‘has been there for a while’ (since 2019).

He spent the last 12 seasons at Mercedes, the longest tenure of any driver at a single team, but has switched to a ‘completely different’ environment at Maranello.

Hamilton is the second-oldest driver on the F1 grid at 40, so Verstappen says it’s clear that he’s already reached his peak.

Sum up Lewis Hamilton’s debut season at Ferrari in one word…

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“You leave a team that has been your second family in Mercedes and you have built up such a career with them,” he said.

“Everyone benefited off that, Mercedes and Lewis and then going in a completely different route is not easy, plus you are going up against a guy that has been there for a while. It is very tough.

“And age is not on your side. You are not going to become faster at that age, not necessarily slower, but definitely not faster, whereas Charles is still getting better so that is also not helping him.”

Max Verstappen knows that F1 isn’t Lewis Hamilton’s whole ‘life’

Verstappen hinted that Hamilton might find it ‘easier to step away’ from the sport because it will allow him to pursue interests outside racing. The Briton was a producer on this year’s F1 Movie and has also been involved in the fashion and music industries.

Hamilton is one of the most socially active drivers ever, too. Sebastian Vettel regrets not using his platform more during his career but that has changed since his retirement.

“If this is your life, then it is very hard to step away from, but if you have other projects going on, or something you really want to spend time on, then it is easier to step away,” said Verstappen.

Hamilton is under contract at Ferrari until the end of 2027 and has made it clear that he intends to fulfil that agreement.