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Max Verstappen “Amused” by Lewis Hamilton’s ‘Surprising’ Ferrari Move, Says Helmut Marko

Published 02/15/2024, 1:06 AM EST

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We are very well versed in the popular utterance, “Everyone is a Ferrari fan. Even if they say they’re not, they are Ferrari fans,” and boy, did Lewis Hamilton just prove it? The Brit’s bombshell announcement captured every single headline, even beyond the world of Formula 1. While everyone instantly reacted to the news, some took the time to understand the decision and then share their opinion. His chief rivals Max Verstappen and other entities at Red Bull were among those who delibrated his decision. However, as revealed by Helmut Marko, the reaction was still the same.

Marko is known to share his unfiltered opinion on any and every matter, and that is exactly what he did with Hamilton’s Ferrari news as well. The Austrian executive had already expressed his understanding of the matter. However, he elaborated further, and while doing so, he might have also revealed Verstappen’s genuine reaction when he heard the news, as quoted by Formula Passion.

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“For me too it was an absolute surprise, something sportingly astonishing, especially for the timing. One wonders how this could have happened,” said Marko. “Maybe Hamilton has understood something that the outside world still doesn’t know.”

Moving on from his shock, Helmut Marko revealed the Red Bull champion’s true reaction to his chief rival moving to Ferrari, a dream destination for him as well. He confessed, “He was amused.”

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This is a comprehensible reaction from Max Verstappen because he isn’t the only one who was amused and amazed by this unbelievable revelation. No one truly knows the motivation behind Hamilton’s switch. However, we have a theory.

Is Ferrari giving glimpses of the kind of reciprocation Lewis Hamilton can expect in 2025?

In 2022, Hamilton was angry with the design of the W13, and he expressed it. The troubled Mercedes machinery brought nothing but grief to the seven-time world champion. However, his teammate’s solitary win in Brazil earned the Mercedes challenger faith from the team and a lifeline into 2023.

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After the start of the previous season, it was evident there was no winning with the zeroed content, and Lewis Hamilton agreed to change the design. Throughout the previous season, Hamilton, on the other hand, kept complaining and pointing out areas of improvement without seeing any change. His inputs were falling on deaf ears, as he even confessed he wanted to take the trip to Brackley to see if his inputs were being implemented.

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Fast forward to now and the Brit has made his decision to take his talents to Ferrari. Now, Ferrari’s chief of aerodynamics made a statement at the launch of the SF-24 that will tell you why the Brit might’ve switched to the Italian team. “We have taken on board what the drivers told us and turned those ideas into engineering reality, with the aim of giving them a car that’s easier to drive and therefore easier to get the most out of and push it to its limits,” said Enrico Cardile.

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WATCH THIS STORY: Lewis Hamilton remains unwavering in his determination to halt Max Verstappen’s dominance, despite enduring significant neglect from the FIA

This could be one of the many reasons behind Lewis Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari. We will never know until he himself confirms it. Until then, let’s keep wondering in shock just like Max Verstappen.

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Written by:

Mahim Suhalka

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Mahim is a senior Formula 1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a Diploma in Sports Management, he ventured into sports journalism for his sheer passion for F1. Mahim has written over 2000 articles during his tenure at ES, and his expertise is in perspective pieces and core sports coverage.
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Edited by:

Shivali Nathta