Hamilton unfazed by Verstappen’s contract extension
Lewis Hamilton offered a thoroughly unimpressed response this afternoon when asked about Max Verstappen’s freshly announced contract extension with Red Bull, which will keep the Dutchman at the Milton Keynes outfit until the end of 2030, reports BritPanorama.
Speaking to assembled media at Zandvoort ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver made clear the matter had barely registered with him. “I’ve not really put any thought to it, so not really,” Hamilton mumbled when questioned on whether the news had caught him off guard.
Pressed on whether Verstappen committing his long-term future to the sport was beneficial for Formula 1, the seven-time world champion was equally terse: “Of course. Why would it not be?”
The 28-year-old Verstappen’s renewed deal had been widely anticipated despite his vocal criticism of the current regulations. Hamilton eventually delivered a rather more revealing assessment of Verstappen’s decision to remain with a single team for what will amount to nearly fifteen years. “I don’t really have an opinion on that necessarily,” he said when asked whether a genuine champion ought to prove himself at more than one constructor. “I don’t know if it makes a huge difference.”
He praised Red Bull as “a really amazing place to be and to work, clearly,” noting the team continues to go “from strength to strength.” Yet his concluding remark carried an unmistakable edge: “The easiest thing is always to stay where you are comfortable. That’s his choice and it’s not a bad choice.” The implication was difficult to miss — Hamilton himself has never taken the easy path.
Having clinched his first championship with McLaren in 2008 before embarking on a transformative move to Mercedes in 2013 — where he secured six further titles — Hamilton has never shied away from upheaval in pursuit of glory. His switch to Ferrari for the 2026 season represented yet another bold gamble.
His relationship with Verstappen has been fraught since their bruising 2021 title contest, which culminated in the deeply controversial Abu Dhabi finale. That season saw boundaries repeatedly crossed, and the animosity has simmered whenever the two find themselves in close proximity on track.
In the years since, opportunities for a genuine rematch have been scarce. Hamilton endured a difficult spell during the ground-effect era, whilst Red Bull are now fighting to re-establish themselves under the latest technical regulations. Hamilton’s attention swiftly turned to his own unfinished business at the Dutch seaside circuit. Zandvoort remains one of the rare venues on the current calendar where the Briton has never stood on the top step of the podium.
“I’ve won at pretty much all the other tracks,” he acknowledged. “I definitely want to change that. So I’m massively driven.” With the circuit set to depart the Formula 1 schedule after this season, time is running short. Hamilton described Zandvoort as “such an incredible circuit” with “a great crowd,” whilst conceding it is a track he has “yet to really truly conquer” in the sport.
“It’s definitely something I want to try and do this weekend,” he added, leaving little doubt about his intentions for Sunday’s race.
