Max Verstappen tells Lewis Hamilton he won’t get any ‘faster’ at 40

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Red Bull star says age and Leclerc’s continuity explain Hamilton’s Ferrari struggles

Max Verstappen has offered a blunt assessment of Lewis Hamilton’s disastrous first season at Ferrari, with the seven-time world champion now just two races away from finishing a year without a single podium — something unprecedented in his career. Hamilton has spent much of 2025 trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc, openly labelling the campaign a “nightmare” and even calling himself “useless” at one stage.

The Briton has argued that Leclerc’s long-term familiarity with Ferrari gives him a natural advantage, but a 16–3 head-to-head deficit has gone far beyond what anyone expected. Now, Verstappen believes two factors are working heavily against Hamilton: the difficulty of changing environments after 12 years at Mercedes — and his age.

Verstappen says Hamilton has already hit his peak

Speaking to the Press Association ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Verstappen acknowledged the huge challenge Hamilton faces in adapting to a “completely different” setup after spending more than a decade at Mercedes, a team he described as a “second family.” Switching to Maranello at 40, he said, is an especially steep climb when your team-mate has been embedded there since 2019.

Verstappen stressed that Hamilton is unlikely to improve at this stage of his career: “Age is not on your side. You’re not going to become faster at that age — not necessarily slower, but definitely not faster — whereas Charles is still getting better.” With Leclerc continuing to grow and Hamilton already past his physical prime, the Red Bull driver believes the dynamic naturally tilts towards the younger man.

Verstappen suggests Hamilton may find it easy to walk away

Beyond pure performance, Verstappen also hinted that Hamilton’s wide range of off-track passions could make a future exit from Formula 1 easier. This year, Hamilton produced the upcoming F1 movie and remains heavily involved in music, fashion and social activism.

“If this is your life, then it is very hard to step away,” Verstappen said. “But if you have other projects… then it is easier to step away.”

Despite the brutal scrutiny and his worst season to date, Hamilton has insisted he will see out his Ferrari contract, which runs until the end of 2027. The question now is whether the 40-year-old can rediscover his form — or whether Verstappen’s warning will prove prophetic.