Hamilton joined Ferrari for 2025 after more than a decade with Mercedes. The move has so far failed to deliver results

For the first time in his career, the seven-time World Champion ended a season without a podium finish in a Grand Prix.

Hamilton finished 86 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in the SF-25. Ferrari’s lack of competitiveness played a role, but the gap in results between the two drivers stood out.

Hamilton also endured a tough qualifying campaign, ending the year with three consecutive Q1 eliminations. It marked his worst run in qualifying since 2009.

The Briton often appeared downbeat in media appearances, which sparked speculation about retirement.

Hamilton has dismissed those suggestions and insists he plans to continue racing, despite growing external calls for him to step away from F1.

Verstappen, however, said the situation brings him no satisfaction.

Speaking to Viaplay, the Red Bull driver said: “Well, nice and direct! It has obviously not been a nice season for him at Ferrari.

“You notice that in everything, including the onboard radio. I have to tell you, it really hurts to see him like that.”

Verstappen expanded on that view, adding: “For me, too, to be honest. I don’t like seeing that.

“Stopping, I don’t know, because I don’t think he’s giving up. Lewis will definitely be there.”

Verstappen highlights obstacles impeding Hamilton at Ferrari

The reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, offered a surgical and surprisingly empathetic breakdown of the internal rot affecting Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari. At the heart of the issue lies the profound psychological displacement of leaving Mercedes—a team that functioned as Hamilton’s biological and professional sanctuary for over a decade. Verstappen pointed out that when a driver severs ties with their “second family,” the impact is far more than just a change of racing suits; it is a total destabilization of their inner sanctum. “If you don’t feel secure or comfortable within the team dynamic, you simply cannot be yourself, and that psychological friction has a devastating impact on performance,” Verstappen explained. Moving from a team where every bolt and nut was tailored to his DNA to a completely foreign, high-pressure Italian route is a monumental task that even a seven-time champion cannot navigate unscathed.

Adding to this emotional turbulence is the Leclerc Factor. Hamilton didn’t just join a new team; he walked directly into the “Lion’s Den”—a territory already marked and dominated by Charles Leclerc. Verstappen noted the sheer difficulty of going up against a teammate who has spent years embedding himself into the Ferrari culture, perfecting the car’s nuances to suit his own aggressive style. While Hamilton is still trying to find the “reset” button, Leclerc is already operating at peak frequency, creating a competitive vacuum that has left the veteran looking uncharacteristically ordinary.

However, the most chilling part of Verstappen’s audit was his raw honesty regarding the biological wall. As Hamilton prepares to turn 41 this January, he is fighting a war against the one opponent no driver has ever beaten: time. Verstappen bluntly asserted that at this stage of a career, the laws of physics and biology are no longer in your favor. “Age is simply not on your side. You are not going to become faster at that age—not necessarily slower overnight, but definitely not faster,” Verstappen remarked. The tragedy of Hamilton’s current situation is the widening performance gap; while he struggles to find his old rhythm, his younger teammate is still on a sharp upward trajectory, constantly evolving and finding new limits.

Despite the whispers of retirement growing louder with every Q1 elimination, Verstappen believes that for a man like Hamilton—whose entire identity is forged in carbon fiber and high-speed corners—walking away is a near-impossible decision. As Hamilton enters the final two years of his Ferrari contract, he faces the ultimate existential crisis of an elite athlete. As Verstappen poignantly concluded: “If this sport is your entire life, then it is a terrifyingly hard thing to step away from,” even when the world is watching you stumble.