Will Buxton says Lewis Hamilton ranks Max Verstappen on another ‘level’ to Charles Leclerc

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Will Buxton says Lewis Hamilton finds beating Max Verstappen ‘more rewarding’ than beating his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

The seven-time champion is 3-2 ahead in the Ferrari intra-team battle in 2026, already matching the number of times he beat Leclerc last season. Hamilton recorded his best result for the Maranello outfit in Canada, finishing second.

Jacques Villeneuve thinks Hamilton got in Leclerc’s head, as the Monegasque driver told his engineer not to update him on his teammate’s pace. He finished in fourth, in what was, in his own words, his worst F1 weekend, while Hamilton fought Verstappen for P2.

Lewis Hamilton finds beating Max Verstappen ‘more rewarding’ than beating Charles Leclerc

The Ferrari and Red Bull driver enjoyed a brilliant battle, with Hamilton sweeping around the outside of turn one in the closing stages to grab second. Verstappen attempted a late charge, but had to settle for third.

The fight between the two former title rivals got many people excited and reminiscing over their previous duels. Buxton thinks that not only will this keep Hamilton and Verstappen in F1 ‘long-term’, but that the former sees racing his old foe as ‘more rewarding’ than racing his teammate.

He said via Up To Speed: “I think that’s the thing that’s going to keep both of them racing long term. If they’re not fighting for titles, they need to be having fun.

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“And what more fun can you have than racing with somebody that you recognise as being, not just on a level with you, but a fellow world champion, recognising the skills that each other have.

“You’re not tooling around for 11th place, you’re fighting with a great, with somebody who’s achieved what you have and who’s held at that same level.

“And how fun is that? I imagine for both of them, it’s probably more fun and more rewarding to win those battles, maybe, than even against… for Lewis even winning against, if it was for second place, winning against a Kimi or winning against a Charles or whoever.

“That’s not to do them a disservice, but it’s just, you’re fighting a world champion and there’s a level that comes with that.”

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Lewis Hamilton showed incredible respect to Max Verstappen after Canadian GP battle

Hamilton and Verstappen’s rivalry was perhaps the biggest of the modern F1 era. Their infamous battle in 2021 will be remembered in the paddock for years, and their fight in Canada brought back the memories.

But while they were fierce rivals back then, the pair have shown great maturity today. Hamilton was praised for his respect for Verstappen after the Canadian GP.

Hamilton called Verstappen ‘the fastest guy’ in F1 after the race. The duo thoroughly enjoyed their battle on track, and many will be hoping that they lock horns again in 2026.