Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton will be “reborn” at Ferrari, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner warns the seven-time world champion could face difficulties in his new surroundings.
Hamilton, 40, has ended a 12-year stint with Mercedes, where he won six titles, to join Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Despite ending his long winless streak at the British Grand Prix last year, he finished 214 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ standings, marking a frustrating final stretch with Mercedes.
Verstappen, who is targeting a fifth consecutive world title, sees Ferrari as the fresh challenge Hamilton needs. “It will provide him with a different scenery, a new motivation,” said the reigning champion.
“Now it is almost like he is reborn. We all know how good Lewis is and how good Charles (Leclerc) is. Ferrari have two great drivers. It is going to be exciting for the sport, but it will also depend on how good the car is.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown expects Hamilton to be in the title fight, given Ferrari’s strong performance last season. “We and Ferrari ended last year with nothing between us, and I think that will continue,” Brown said.
Hamilton is set to test his new Ferrari next week in Bahrain as the team aims for its first championship in nearly 20 years. Horner, however, believes Hamilton’s success will depend on how quickly he adapts.
“If Lewis gets off to a good start and gets the team around him, he will find his confidence and could be a real contender,” Horner said. “But if he doesn’t, it will inevitably be harder for him.”
The comments came during a historic F1 event where all 10 teams launched their new cars together for the first time.
“It’s difficult to get most teams to agree what day of the week it is,” joked Horner. “So to have all 10 teams here is a big effort and a great show for the fans.”
