Few rivalries have been as fierce or as defining in F1 as the one between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, with their past battles often written controversy.
The 2025 campaign was meant to be the dawn of a new era for Hamilton at Ferrari, but instead, it became a "nightmare" in scarlet.
For the first time in his legendary 19-year career, the seven-time world champion failed to secure a single podium finish.
As Charles Leclerc took the SF-25 to seven podiums, Hamilton found himself mired in a dejected slump, ending the year 86 points behind his teammate and enduring a bruising run of three consecutive Q1 exits.
But while some in the paddock have used Hamilton’s decline as ammunition for retirement talk, his greatest adversary finds no joy in the struggle.
Respect Beyond the Rivalry
Speaking in a remarkably candid end-of-season interview with Viaplay, the four-time world champion Verstappen didn't hesitate to share the pain he feels watching a titan of the sport falter.
When the interviewer pointed out that it was difficult to see the 105-time race winner so dejected, Verstappen was in total agreement.
©RedBull
"Well, nice and direct!" Verstappen replied when asked if he would quit in such a position. "It has obviously not been a nice season for him at Ferrari."
Verstappen noted that the weight of the struggle was visible far beyond the timesheets.
"You notice that in everything, including the on-board radio," he added. When the interviewer interjected, saying, "I have to tell you, it really hurts to see him like that," Verstappen didn't skip a beat.
"For me, too, to be honest. I don't like seeing that," the Red Bull driver admitted.
‘Lewis will definitely be there’
Over the course of the last year, Hamilton frequently sounding lost for words, suggesting he would be "unplugging from the matrix" after the final race in Abu Dhabi.
Despite the "ignominious" end to his year – including qualifying dead last on pure pace in Las Vegas – Verstappen remains convinced that the British driver’s story is far from over.
While the calls for retirement grow louder from the sidelines, the Red Bull charger believes the fire that fueled seven world titles is still flickering beneath the surface.
"Stopping, I don't know, because I don't think he's giving up," Verstappen concluded. "Lewis will definitely be there."
It is a striking moment of solidarity between two champions. In a sport that often demands a cold, predatory instinct, Verstappen’s words serve as a reminder that even the fiercest rivalries are built on a foundation of profound mutual respect.
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