Shocked Hamilton ‘had no idea’ Verstappen had won Qatar GP

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Lewis Hamilton was anything but joyous after enduring a dismal Sunday night at Lusail, but the Ferrari driver’s face lit up when he was told – just minutes after last weekend’s race – that Max Verstappen had won the Qatar Grand Prix.

The Dutchman capitalised on a McLaren strategy error to claim his seventh win of the season, cutting Lando Norris’s championship lead to just 12 points while leapfrogging Oscar Piastri to second place in the standings.

The stage is now set for a thrilling three-way showdown at next weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Verstappen in contention for a fifth consecutive world title.

Shock and Awe: 'I had no idea'

As he processed his tough weekend in Doha and his troublesome run to P12, Hamilton confessed in the media pen to being completely unaware of the race outcome.

“How's Max 12 behind now?” Hamilton asked upon hearing the championship update.

“Max won? Oh, shoot, I didn't know, I had no idea. Wow, holy sh*t. No, no, I thought Piastri won, I don't know.”

When informed that Norris had only managed fourth place, he responded: “Oh, really? Lando was fourth? Where’s Piastri?”

After learning that Piastri had finished second, ahead of Carlos Sainz’s Williams, Hamilton added: “So Oscar's third now [in the championship]? Well that’s exciting! Goes right to the wire!”

Commending Verstappen’s Amazing Comeback

Hamilton hasn’t been in title contention since narrowly missing out on a record-breaking eighth world championship in 2021, a battle he lost to Verstappen on the last lap of F1’s controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Despite his shock upon learning of Sunday’s results, Hamilton had high praise for Verstappen and Red Bull’s performance, highlighting the Dutchman’s remarkable recovery from a 104-point deficit after the Dutch Grand Prix in August.

“Well, we all know Max does a great job,” the 40-year-old said.

“I think he's got a phenomenal team behind him, which there's no denying they've had the best car over the last four years. And maybe less so at the beginning of this year, but they somehow came back.

“He's obviously got a great car, but he does an amazing job with it, so I can't fault him.”

Hamilton’s candid reaction underscores just how unpredictable the closing stages of the 2025 season have become – and how Verstappen’s relentless drive has kept him firmly in the title hunt.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.