Max Verstappen mechanic pinpoints the moment Lewis Hamilton was just as ruthless as Red Bull superstar

Max Verstappen has a proven record of being aggressive on the track in F1 on his way to four world titles. But Lewis Hamilton can certainly rival his ruthlessness.

The 40-year-old displayed his skill and aggressive style almost immediately when he burst on the scene with McLaren in 2007. Losing the championship in his rookie season to Kimi Raikkonen by one point, Hamilton claimed his maiden title a year later over the Finn’s Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa.

Following four difficult seasons with the Woking-based outfit, Hamilton made the then-unprecedented decision to join Mercedes from McLaren in 2013. Not many knew it at the time, but the Brit and the Silver Arrows would turn out to be one of the greatest partnerships in sporting history.

From 2014 to 2020, Hamilton won six drivers’ titles and helped Mercedes win eight consecutive constructors’ championships in the turbo hybrid era. The seven-time champion became the most winningest driver of all time with the Brackley-based outfit.

Hamilton’s 12-year stint with Mercedes is also best known for his infamous rivalry with friend and teammate Nico Rosberg. The pair battled for the championship between 2014-2016 before the German announced his sudden retirement after his title triumph.

The tension between the two was evident was numerous collisions on track. Toto Wolff ‘never understood’ the animosity between Hamilton and Rosberg as their rivalry had a huge impact on the Mercedes garage.

Calum Nicholas shares how Lewis Hamilton was ‘ruthless’ against Nico Rosberg to win the championship

After Hamilton beat Rosberg in his first year with Mercedes in 2013, the Brit found a new gear in the turbo hybrid era. He dominated the German with 11 wins to Rosberg’s 5, winning the title by 67 points.

The following year was not as dominant, but Hamilton did what was required to grab 10 wins and beat Rosberg by 59 points for his third title. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Red Bull mechanic Calum Nicholas says it is a ‘necessity’ to be ruthless, otherwise it is not possible to be champion.

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“The idea that you can go and compete at that level and win and not be ruthless. That’s a fallacy that, if you want to win at this level and be that good and compete”, he said.

“Like these are all great race drivers. If you want to beat them, you have to find something extra and being ruthless is a necessity in that situation.

“And we’ve seen it from every champion that we’ve had in the sport. Lewis in his first championship [with Mercedes], he was ruthless when he needed to be throughout that year with Nico Rosberg.

“Ultimately Nico came out on top because he did what he had to do. It wasn’t popular, there were tense moments in the garage because of it. But ultimately this is what champions do.

“They do what they need to, to win. And to sort of bash that and say: ‘Ah well, you could have been a bit kinder here and there’, come on man.

“We’re here to win, I’m not here to make friends sometimes.”

Can Lewis Hamilton have the same ruthlessness at Ferrari?

Heading into 2025, Verstappen is the driver to beat after claiming his fourth consecutive title last year. But the Dutchman will face competition from the McLarens as well as Charles Leclerc and a revitalised Hamilton at Ferrari.

The Brit comes off the back of the lowest finish of his career with seventh in 2024. But after departing Mercedes, it is clear Hamilton has found a new level with Ferrari.

This is proven by how he has looked to embrace the team’s culture straight away. Hamilton addressed Ferrari employees in Italian at the factory in Fiorano – something Michael Schumacher was ‘never liked’ for avoiding.

Ferrari staff were delighted by Hamilton’s Italian gesture and it will spur him in good stead to battle teammate Leclerc in 2025.

The Monagasque driver is one of the strongest drivers over one lap and has previously defeated a multiple world champion as his teammate in Sebastian Vettel. But Hamilton will present his toughest challenge.

Christian Klien thinks Ferrari can unlock Hamilton’s ‘greatness’ if they give him a car that suits his aggressive braking style. If they can provide a strong machine, the 40-year-old cannot be ruled out of the title picture in 2025.