Lewis Hamilton was in awe of Max Verstappen’s ‘decent lap’ times with Red Bull’s RB21 during the pre-season testing.

The pre-season test has put forth some interesting results from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen amidst their performance struggles. Lewis Hamilton has also deemed his first official test session with Ferrari in Formula 1. After spending significant time on and off the track, the Briton assessed rival Verstappen’s results in the sessions.

Max Verstappen will remain the driver to watch as he copes with Red Bull’s performance struggles to achieve his fifth consecutive title win. The Dutchman lodged some impressive lap times in the pre-season test and surprised the paddock. Lewis Hamilton highlighted that McLaren performed well on the first test day. Moreover, the 40-year-old applauded Verstappen’s ‘decent’ lap times in Bahrain, keeping in mind the temperatures.

Hamilton insisted that different teams used different strategies to prepare for the upcoming season. As such, the Briton noted that a particular team’s fuel load and program was difficult to figure out. Due to this, the test-session results were considered with a ‘pinch of salt’ as real-time performances could be completely different.

Lewis Hamilton claims Ferrari ‘got some work to do’ following the test session
Ferrari achieved a great performance improvement in the recent seasons. Lewis Hamilton’s entry is set to bolster the team’s chances of championship contention this year. However, Hamilton noted that there were many areas of improvement for the Italian constructor. The 40-year-old anticipates that he will get a better understanding of the SF-25’s pace during his run around the track.

The 2025 season is set to be crucial for Hamilton as he could be labeled as the ‘hero forever’ by the Tifosi if he secures the title win. The Briton will also go against Charles Leclerc who has showcased strong qualifying performances in the past.