Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton will be “very, very motivated” to prove he can still fight for a championship in his first season at Ferrari in 2025.
Since competing with Red Bull’s Verstappen for the title in 2021, the seven-time world champion has won only two Grands Prix. The Dutchman has dominated since, winning his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix earlier this month.
Lando Norris has had a faster vehicle in the McLaren for half of the season, but he has been unable to close the imposing lead Verstappen established early on.
Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri are likely to push Verstappen again next year, when Charles Leclerc is joined by Hamilton, 39, at Ferrari. George Russell will take over as Mercedes’ No. 1 driver, with Hamilton replaced by teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli.
Because to Mercedes’ problems, Hamilton has had few opportunities to race Verstappen since 2021. He has 682 championship points over the last three seasons, compared to the 27-year-old’s 1,432.
However, the freshly crowned four-time champion expects Hamilton to be reenergised next year. Verstappen told PA Sport: “It has been difficult for him (Hamilton) to be fully motivated this year since he knows he will be leaving the company.
“I felt that as soon as he got that competitive car and had a chance to win, he really stepped up. Then there were races where the automobile was problematic, and he said ‘whatever’.
“I do not believe he will ever lose it. He accomplished so much. He faces a fresh task next year. He will be really determined to demonstrate his seven-time world champion status. However, it will be determined by the materials available to him.
Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025.
Hamilton is in the final two races of his 11-year Mercedes career, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. He will bid an emotional farewell to the Silver Arrows in the Middle East next weekend, following 84 race victories, 153 podium finishes, and 78 pole positions.
However, he will not be able to join Ferrari in time for the post-season Abu Dhabi test, which will be held at the Yas Marina Circuit on Tuesday following the season finale.
Hamilton said, “Look, I understand Fred wanted it to happen. I was torn between two opinions. I’m not excited to be driving the red automobile for the first time in Abu Dhabi.
“In a perfect scenario, you’d be able to drive it, remain anonymous, and carry out the initial rollout next year. When I brought it up, obviously with Toto [Wolff], they had all these arrangements for me to go see some of the sponsors and bid them farewell.
“So I don’t think it was ever going to be authorised, even if I had asked to do it, since I’m contracted to the team until December 31st, which is perfectly great. But it doesn’t worry me anymore because I was not planning to take the test.
“This is not what I wanted to do. I informed Fred that that was not what I wanted to do. Am I missing out on anything? For sure. It undoubtedly delays the process and makes the beginning of the year more difficult, but we’ll try our best to recover.”