Max Verstappen chimed in on the amazing news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025, the Red Bull charger expressing hope for the Briton’s success and even excitement at the prospect of facing him in red.
Hamilton’s switch could set the stage for a potential historic challenge at Ferrari, aiming for an unprecedented eighth world title – a feat Verstappen denied the current Mercedes driver in their intense and controversial 2021 championship battle.
Verstappen acknowledged the logical appeal of Hamilton’s decision for a driver of his stature.
“At the end of the day, if someone wants to drive for Ferrari, and especially someone like Lewis who has achieved so much, that’s his dream and goal,” he said.
“And again, we don’t know the talks that they had at Mercedes at Ferrari, what they think is coming. So you can’t give an honest assessment from our side why you make that decision.
“But if he is happy with that move then he should go. I think, it will look cool. And of course, I hope for them that it’s going to be a success, but you don’t know that.”
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Addressing the same topic, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner suggested that Hamilton had opted to join Ferrari because he expects the Scuderia to be more competitive than Mercedes in the future.
“I think everybody was surprised – even his existing team – about Lewis’s move to Ferrari,” said Horner.
“But he’s obviously seen something there that he believes in that serves him better than staying where he is.
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“Obviously he’s got still a season to go with his existing team, but he’s proven in the past that he’s not shy of making brave decisions.
“His move from McLaren to Mercedes, for all intents and purposes, looked not to be the right one at the time but proved to be an inspired one.
“So I’m sure he will have thought about it long and hard and for Formula 1, a Hamilton-Ferrari tie-up is pretty exciting.”
Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2021. But Hamilton’s bold decision inevitably triggered questions about whether the three-time world champion would ever contemplate a similar move.
“I don’t want to sound disrespectful or whatever. I have a lot of respect for the brand Ferrari. But I’m very happy where I’m at the moment,” he said.
“I’m comfortable in the environment that I’m in, it’s not something that I’m looking to change or whatever. But in my life also I know that from what I’ve experienced so far never say never with things.
“But for me now, no, it’s not even in my head. But again, it’s only Formula 1. I want to do more things than Formula 1 as well.”
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