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Lewis Hamilton derives more satisfaction from racing Max Verstappen than his current Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, according to F1 journalist Will Buxton. The claim follows their close battle for second place at the Canadian Grand Prix, where the pair revived memories of their 2021 championship fight and finished within a second of one another after spending much of the race wheel-to-wheel.
Hamilton crossed the line second in Montreal, with Verstappen third. The margin between them was less than a second. Both drivers are enduring campaigns where championship contention appears out of reach, yet their duel in Canada suggested neither has lost the appetite for direct competition with a peer they regard as an equal.
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Buxton made his assessment on the Up To Speed podcast, arguing that the rivalry between the two multi-time champions carries a unique weight. "I am of the opinion that this is what keeps them both racing in the long term. If they are not fighting for titles, they must have fun," Buxton said. The journalist suggested that Hamilton, who has seven world titles to Verstappen's four, finds particular meaning in beating a driver he recognises as having reached the same competitive summit.
Racing a fellow champion carries different stakes
Buxton's argument centres on the psychological dimension of competing against someone who has achieved comparable success. "And what is more fun than racing with someone you not only consider equal, but also a fellow world champion, where you recognise each other's skills? You are not driving around for eleventh place, you are fighting a great, someone who has achieved what you have achieved and who has performed at the same level," Buxton said.
The Canadian Grand Prix provided a split-screen illustration of the dynamic. While Hamilton and Verstappen fought for second, Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar were engaged in their own battle further back. Buxton suggested that for Hamilton, the former duel carries more resonance. "I think for both it is probably more fun and satisfying to win those fights, maybe even more than. for Lewis even winning from, if it was about second place, winning from a Kimi or winning from a Charles or whoever," he said.
Leclerc and Antonelli not disrespected, but context matters
Buxton clarified that his comments were not intended to diminish Leclerc or Ferrari junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli, both of whom he considers exceptional talents. "That is not to do them dishonour, but you are fighting a world champion and that brings a certain level with it," he said. The distinction is not about raw skill but about the shared history and mutual recognition that comes with having stood atop the sport.
Hamilton currently sits fourth in the drivers' standings with 72 points, while Verstappen is seventh with 43. Neither is in realistic contention for the 2025 title, but their Canada clash suggests the intensity between them remains undiminished. Both have spoken in recent seasons about the importance of motivation beyond pure championship mathematics, and their willingness to fight hard for positions outside the podium places underscores that the satisfaction of beating a specific rival can matter as much as the result itself.
2021 rivalry still shapes their racing dynamic
The 2021 season remains one of the most contentious in modern F1 history, defined by on-track aggression, off-track tension, and a title decided in Abu Dhabi's final lap under controversial circumstances. Verstappen claimed his first championship; Hamilton was denied an eighth. The scars of that campaign have not faded, and their subsequent encounters carry the residue of unfinished business. Canada offered a reminder that even in a season where neither is fighting for glory, the appetite to beat the other has not waned.
Buxton's observation speaks to a broader truth about elite competition: that the opponent matters as much as the result. For Hamilton, now 40 and in his first season with Ferrari, proving he can still race door-to-door with Verstappen may offer validation that transcends the points table. For Verstappen, beating the driver who defined much of his early career remains a benchmark of his own standing. Both are in form, both are motivated, and their next encounter will likely carry the same charge that lit up Montreal
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