‘He Isn’t Getting Any Faster’: Max Verstappen Makes Brutal Assessment of Lewis Hamilton Over Age Debate

Max Verstappen has offered a blunt assessment of Lewis Hamilton’s future in Formula 1, as the age debate continues to draw attention. The Red Bull driver compared the Ferrari star’s prospects with those of Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli, who still has much of his career ahead of him.

His comments focus on the difference between maintaining performance after years at the top and developing further early in a career.

“Age shouldn’t matter these days, but he probably won’t get any faster. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying Lewis will get slower, just not faster. It’s different with Kimi. There’s still more to come from him,” Verstappen told Bild Sport.

The Age Debate Around Lewis Hamilton’s Remaining F1 Career

Hamilton, 41, has competed in Formula 1 since 2007 and has won seven world championships during his career. His achievements include 105 Grand Prix victories, a record he shares with no other driver, and six of his titles came during his successful spell with Mercedes.

However, his move to Ferrari in 2025 brought a new challenge after years with the Silver Arrows. His first season with the Italian team proved difficult, as he failed to secure a Grand Prix podium.

Consequently, questions about his form and ability to return to his previous level have remained part of the discussion around his age.

However, Verstappen’s comment comes at a time when the Prancing Horse looks to be on a resurgent run. Hamilton, taking advantage of Ferrari’s surge in the new era of regulations, has won one race and landed six podium finishes so far in the season.

Meanwhile, Red Bull too have found their feet after struggling for a good part of the season. Verstappen bagged back-to-back wins at the Sepang and Marina Bay Circuits. If both teams carry this momentum in 2027, Verstappen and Hamilton could revive their fierce rivalry from 2021.

Kimi Antonelli Has More Potential Compared To Lewis Hamilton, Says Max Verstappen

Antonelli, 20, is in a different stage of his Formula 1 career. The Italian joined Mercedes in 2025 at just 18 and entered the 2026 season for his second year in the sport. Antonelli struggled in his rookie season with the Silver Arrows but transitioned smoothly to his sophomore year.

Verstappen believes the youngster, who is a whisker away from winning the world championship, has yet to reach his full potential. The leaderboard topper has been found guilty of exceeding track limits on multiple occasions at different Grands Prix. Seeking improvement on that front would help Antonelli reach the potential Verstappen sees in him.

Hamilton, on the other hand, has been through several eras of F1’s regulations. His dominant phase ended before the advent of the ground-effect era. However, it’s the hunger for the record-breaking eighth world championship that continues to motivate him to fight for the top spot.

Given the way the Briton has adapted to the current set of regulations, all he needs is a little nudge from Ferrari to reach there.

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