Formula 1 | Hamilton: “Verstappen will be the man to beat in 2025 too”

Formula 1 Hamilton Verstappen – Ferrari's next driver Lewis Hamilton has expressed admiration for Max Verstappen, acknowledging his dominance in Formula 1 and predicting that he will remain his main rival in the 2025 season.

Speaking about the teams’ preparation for the future, the seven-time world champion highlighted the Red Bull team’s likely advantage, thanks to its earlier planning of technical development. “It will be difficult to get the better of them next year,” the Briton explained. “They probably started working on the car a lot earlier than the others.” Despite the RB20’s difficulties in 2024, the Milton Keynes team has once again shown its ability to adapt and achieve extraordinary results.

Hamilton, who came from a brilliant comeback at the Las Vegas Grand Prix to climb from tenth to second, praised his Dutch rival’s efficiency and consistency. “He managed the season flawlessly, without mistakes. Every time he delivered the results he needed, he and his team did an extraordinary job for the fourth year in a row.” Reflecting on the championship, the English driver acknowledged that Verstappen managed to prevail even in difficult situations, proving himself to be a complete champion: “There were moments when everything became really emotional.”

Hamilton’s words highlight the growing weight of Dutch talent in the recent history of Formula 1. For the future Ferrari driver, 2025 will be a new opportunity to measure himself against one of the most formidable opponents in the category, in a confrontation that promises to be intense and exciting. With two champions ready to push themselves to the limit, the next season promises to be full of twists and turns, with a rivalry that will continue to define the landscape of world motorsport.