Lewis Hamilton leaves Red Bull insider stunned by surprising move Max Verstappen would avoid

Lewis Hamilton ‘Surprised’ Red Bull Insider After Displaying Uncharacteristic Move Verstappen Would Never Make

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both arrive at the 2025 Montreal Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve under pressure to recover from underwhelming performances for Ferrari and Red Bull respectively. Despite being the most dominant Formula 1 drivers of the past decade—with only Nico Rosberg interrupting their title stranglehold in 2016—both are facing increasing scrutiny in a season that is quickly slipping away from them.

This year, however, a changing of the guard may be on the horizon. Oscar Piastri leads the championship standings after nine rounds, with McLaren teammate Lando Norris close behind. The Australian currently sits atop the drivers’ standings with 186 points, while Norris follows on 176. Verstappen holds third place with 137 points, leaving Hamilton far behind in sixth with just 71 to his name—a deficit of 115 points to Oscar Piastri.

Lewis Hamilton’s struggles at Ferrari continue to define his first season in red since leaving Mercedes. Despite the anticipation surrounding his switch, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion has yet to reach the podium in a Grand Prix. His best results have come only in Sprint races: a victory in the Shanghai Sprint and a third-place finish in Miami. In traditional Sunday races, however, success remains elusive.

The situation reached a new low for Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix, where Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg overtook him in the closing stages to secure P5, leaving the Briton to settle for P6 after Max Verstappen’s penalty for a collision with George Russell. Nico Hulkenberg, who started from 15th on the grid, made a remarkable charge through the field. On Lap 65 of 66, he passed Hamilton using DRS into Turn 1—a move that drew attention not only for its timing but also for the lack of resistance from the Ferrari driver.

Sebastien Buemi, Red Bull’s simulator and development driver, admitted he was “surprised” by Hamilton’s decision not to defend against Nico Hulkenberg. The former Formula 1 driver remarked that Max Verstappen would never have conceded a position so easily, regardless of tyre wear or track conditions. Lewis Hamilton had been running on hard tyres and experienced a brief moment of instability coming out of the final corner, but that did little to justify, in Buemi’s view, the lack of fightback.

According to Buemi, Max Verstappen has built his reputation on refusing to yield in wheel-to-wheel situations, even when under pressure. The Red Bull driver, he noted, is known for pushing the limits, which is why he engaged in such aggressive driving against George Russell. Buemi believed that Lewis Hamilton’s passive approach stood in stark contrast to Max Verstappen’s never-back-down mentality—a comparison that highlights the psychological gap forming between the two F1 titans.

In contrast to Lewis Hamilton’s subdued display, Hulkenberg delivered arguably his best drive in years. With the benefit of recent Sauber upgrades and a well-timed pit stop for soft tyres under the Lap 55 safety car, the German surged forward. Notably, Hamilton also pitted for the same tyre compound during the safety car period, so the difference in grip was negligible. What separated the two was Hulkenberg’s determination, as he climbed from P8 to P5 in the final laps, while Hamilton fell back from P6.

Max Verstappen, on the other hand, may have fought too fiercely. The Dutchman collided with George Russell in the closing moments, receiving a 10-second time penalty that dropped him in the order. The incident, which saw Max Verstappen strike the side of the Mercedes, has also put him on the brink of a race ban. With one more penalty point, he could be sidelined—something Red Bull are desperate to avoid heading into their home race in Austria.

As Formula 1 heads to Canada, both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are under pressure for different reasons. The Briton must prove he still has the hunger and aggression that made him a champion, while the Dutchman must find a way to manage his aggression before it costs him dearly. The Canadian Grand Prix could mark a pivotal moment in both drivers’ seasons.