The 2025 Formula 1 season has not been kind to Lewis Hamilton, but it hasn’t been easy for Max Verstappen either. According to former F1 driver Davide Valsecchi, Verstappen risks falling into mediocrity under the new 2026 regulations.
Lewis Hamilton’s debut season with Ferrari has proven challenging, as he continues to struggle in finding the optimal balance and connection with the SF-25. On the other hand, Max Verstappen is fighting to keep his Red Bull under control—a car that, by his own admission, may no longer reach the top step of the podium this year. These difficulties for both drivers could escalate into a deeper crisis when the 2026 regulations come into effect.
Expectations were high for Lewis Hamilton’s collaboration with Ferrari at the start of the season. However, the partnership has yet to deliver the anticipated results, partly due to the shortcomings of the SF-25 and partly due to the underwhelming performance of the British driver.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, began the year adjusting to a car that no longer responds to his inputs as it did in 2023. While he has secured two victories in 2025, there is a risk that he may go without a win for the remainder of the season.
Both drivers are therefore facing unforeseen challenges. Moreover, according to Davide Valsecchi, the regulatory changes scheduled for 2026 could make adaptation even more difficult for these two World Champions.
“I would have immediately focused on a young driver,” Davide Valsecchi told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Because I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that next year, with new rules and new cars, even a talent like Verstappen might not appear quite as exceptional. Life teaches us this: when you are young, you adapt to everything; as an adult, it’s not that simple.”
Hamilton joined Ferrari with the hope of realizing a dream: winning his eighth Drivers’ Championship with the iconic red car. However, at the moment, the conditions do not seem to be in place for that to happen, given the British driver’s difficulties and the tough competition with teammate Charles Leclerc. Yet Valsecchi insists that Ferrari should retain driver #44.
“I would never have the courage to replace him. He has won seven World Championships. I don’t believe there is anyone in Ferrari today who comes close to him. They signed him, and now it’s right that he stays,” Valsecchi concluded.
Despite the struggles of this season and the uncertainties of the next, it appears that the seven-time World Champion will have a more significant role in shaping the design of the 2026 car.
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