When Max Verstappen Once Trolled Ferrari for Lewis Hamilton Over First Compliment in 13 Years

Lewis Hamilton is the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time. And in the turbo-hybrid era, he was the man to beat for Ferrari, as the Italian team played every card in their deck to defeat the Silver Arrows led by the Briton.

In the meantime, surely Ferrari would have fancied hiring the services of the seven-time world champion. One such desire by the Maranello-based team came to the surface in 2019.

During the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2019’s press conference, Hamilton was told Mattia Binotto is a huge admirer of the Mercedes star. The former Ferrari boss also added that he would be more than happy to make an offer for 2021, as Hamilton’s contract kept him committed to Mercedes until that time only.

In response, Hamilton was surprised by a sudden compliment from the Ferrari boss. He even said, “I think that’s the first compliment I’ve had from Ferrari in these 13 years.”

Max Verstappen trolls Ferrari for Lewis Hamilton

While Hamilton behaved humbly towards the rare flattery by the Italian team, Max Verstappen saw this as an opportunity to make a cheeky dig. The Dutchman pointed out his rival’s unending dominance back then for such kind words.

“It’s because you’re beating them,” said Verstappen, leaving Hamilton in splits. But seriously, Ferrari was frustrated by the Briton’s continued excellence for over so many years.

Even after having Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari could not put up the proper challenge against Mercedes. 2019 was a lost cause for the Tifosis soon after the Singapore GP win. Meanwhile, Hamilton continued to be at the top of his game until the end of the 2021 season.

No more the mighty force

The 2021 season was the last time when Hamilton fought for the championship. Even there, he controversially lost the title on the last day of the season. Though, let’s avoid the intricacies to stay focused on the point.

The end of 2021 brought new aero regulations to the competition. And Mercedes clearly failed to adapt to the new reforms in the contest and have fallen in order.

Neither in 2022 they remotely compete for the championship, nor in 2023 will they likely present a better challenge. Ironically, amidst Mercedes’s struggles, Hamilton to Ferrari rumors ignited, but the Briton repeatedly reiterated his loyalty to Silver Arrows.