Jonas Leo
Following a challenging 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed genuine astonishment upon learning that Max Verstappen had secured victory, a result that dramatically recalibrated the championship standings heading into the season finale. Hamilton’s candid reaction came during a post-race interview at the Losail International Circuit, where his own weekend with Ferrari had been marked by persistent struggles and ultimately, a finish outside the points.
The British driver had endured a difficult outing in Qatar, openly voicing frustrations regarding the performance of his Ferrari machinery throughout the event. Despite his personal difficulties on track, Hamilton’s immediate focus in the interview was directed towards the looming championship decider in Abu Dhabi, reflecting the intense pressure and high stakes that characterize the pinnacle of motorsport.
The conversation took an unexpected turn when Hamilton was informed of the revised championship landscape. The interviewer revealed that the 2025 drivers’ title had morphed into a tight three-way contest, with McLaren’s Lando Norris now holding a mere 12-point advantage over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri positioned just four points adrift of Verstappen. This revelation sparked a moment of profound surprise for Hamilton.
"How’s Max 12 behind now?" Hamilton queried, visibly taken aback when the updated drivers’ standings were first mentioned. The question immediately highlighted his prior unawareness of the race outcome. His shock deepened as the full extent of Verstappen’s victory became clear. "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." The expletive, though uncharacteristic for the usually composed champion, underscored the genuine nature of his surprise.
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Still processing the information, Hamilton sought further clarification regarding the performances of the McLaren drivers. He double-checked Norris’s finishing position, asking, "Oh, really? Lando was fourth? Where’s Piastri?" The full picture only began to coalesce when he was informed that Oscar Piastri had finished a strong second, with Williams driver Carlos Sainz rounding out the podium in third place.
"So Oscar’s third now?" Hamilton reiterated, finally grasping the implications of the results. His conclusion, delivered with a hint of awe, captured the essence of the unfolding drama: "Goes right to the wire!" This succinct statement encapsulated the renewed excitement surrounding a championship battle that had just been dramatically intensified by Verstappen’s performance.
The 2025 Qatar Grand Prix: A Pivotal Race
The 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, held under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit, proved to be a pivotal moment in an already enthralling Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen’s victory was his eighth of the 2025 campaign, showcasing a remarkable mid-season resurgence for Red Bull Racing after what Hamilton himself alluded to as a "less so at the beginning of this year" period for the Austrian outfit. Verstappen, a multiple world champion and often considered one of the sport’s most dominant figures in recent years, demonstrated his prowess by navigating the challenging Losail circuit to secure maximum points.
Oscar Piastri’s second-place finish for McLaren was another testament to the Woking-based team’s strong performance throughout 2025. Piastri, in his second season, has consistently impressed, and his podium in Qatar further solidified McLaren’s status as a genuine championship contender. His teammate, Lando Norris, despite finishing fourth, retained his championship lead, albeit by a significantly reduced margin, highlighting the competitive nature of their intra-team battle and the broader title fight.
Perhaps one of the most unexpected results of the day was Carlos Sainz securing third place for Williams. Sainz, who made a high-profile switch to Williams for the 2025 season after a successful stint with Ferrari, capitalized on a strong race strategy and impressive pace to bring the Grove-based team an invaluable podium finish. This result marked a significant milestone for Williams, signaling a potential upward trajectory for the historic team.
For Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, the Qatar Grand Prix was a stark contrast to the front-running battles. Hamilton, in his inaugural season with the Scuderia, has faced an uphill battle adapting to the new machinery and extracting consistent performance. His struggles in Qatar, where he finished outside the top ten, underscored the challenges Ferrari has encountered in maintaining a consistent challenge at the very front of the grid throughout the 2025 season. The Losail circuit, known for its high-speed corners and abrasive track surface, often exposes any underlying weaknesses in car setup and tire management, areas where Ferrari appeared to struggle.
The Intensified Title Battle
Verstappen’s win, coupled with Norris’s fourth place and Piastri’s second, has compressed the championship standings to an extraordinary degree. Before Qatar, Norris had enjoyed a more comfortable lead, but Verstappen’s triumph has slashed that advantage to just 12 points. Piastri, with his strong showing, is now only four points behind his Red Bull rival, meaning a mere 16 points separate the top three drivers heading into the final race.
This three-way fight evokes memories of some of Formula 1’s most iconic championship deciders, where titles have been won and lost on the very last lap of the season. Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, a venue that has historically hosted several dramatic conclusions, is now poised to witness one of the most thrilling final showdowns in recent memory. Each of the three contenders – Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri – holds a realistic mathematical chance of clinching the coveted drivers’ championship, adding an unprecedented layer of excitement and unpredictability to the season’s climax.
Hamilton’s Perspective on Verstappen and the Future
Despite their intense and often fractious championship rivalry in 2021, Lewis Hamilton offered a gracious assessment of Max Verstappen’s performance and the strength of the Red Bull team. "Well, we all know Max does a great job," Hamilton stated, acknowledging his competitor’s skill. He further elaborated on Red Bull’s long-standing dominance, a factor that he believes has been crucial to Verstappen’s success. "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."
Hamilton also noted Red Bull’s ability to recover and improve their car throughout the 2025 season. "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." This observation underscores the engineering prowess and strategic capabilities within the Red Bull camp, which have consistently provided Verstappen with a competitive platform.
Beyond the immediate championship battle, Hamilton also shared his broader thoughts on the state of Formula 1 racing, particularly in light of his own frustrations during the Qatar Grand Prix. He had previously voiced concerns about the lack of strategic variety in the race, attributing it to the strict tyre limits imposed by regulations and the inherent characteristics of the Losail circuit layout. The mandated three-stop strategy for all drivers due to tyre degradation concerns significantly limited strategic options, leading to what some perceived as a procession rather than a dynamic race.
Looking ahead, Hamilton expressed optimism regarding the substantial changes slated for the 2026 Formula 1 regulations. These regulations are designed to introduce significant alterations to power units, chassis, and aerodynamics, with a primary aim of promoting closer racing, increasing efficiency, and potentially leveling the playing field between teams. "I mean, our cars will be a lot different," Hamilton remarked, anticipating a fresh era for the sport. "There should be more variation between teams. Possibly. Possibly a lot different. Maybe there’ll be more overtaking because of the, yeah… we’ll see." His comments reflect a widespread hope within the F1 community that the new regulations will usher in a period of enhanced competition and spectacle, moving away from what some critics describe as predictable racing. The prospect of greater diversity in car performance and improved overtaking opportunities remains a key aspiration for the sport’s stakeholders, and Hamilton’s sentiments align with this forward-looking vision.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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