This proves that Hamilton’s comment about Verstappen's future makes absolutely no sense

During the media day in Zandvoort, Lewis Hamilton clearly wasn’t keen to answer questions about Max Verstappen’s new contract. When he finally did, the seven-time world champion did so with a thinly veiled dig.

Responding to the question of whether a true top driver should have become world champion with two different teams, Hamilton initially said: "I don't really have an opinion on that necessarily. I don't know if it makes a huge difference. I think he's with a great team. He's been with them a long, long time. And I mean, they just keep going from strength to strength. It's a really amazing place to be and to work clearly."

He then added: "When you look at the history of drivers that do move around, there's some drivers that have moved a crazy amount, and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. But yeah, the easiest thing is always to stay where you are comfortable. That's his choice and it's not a bad choice."

So, according to Hamilton, Verstappen is choosing the "comfortable" option. But why is that? Why is there a perception that staying in a familiar environment is the easy route? Because anyone who dives into the history of Formula 1 will find no one who has won the world title twice with the same team across separate eras.

What Verstappen wants to do is experience an initial successful cycle with Red Bull Racing, and now begin a second cycle. Being successful with the same team in two different periods is something no world champion has done. They all did it with different teams.

Michael Schumacher won his first titles with Benetton, then with Ferrari. Hamilton with McLaren and later Mercedes. Juan Manuel Fangio did it with Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes, and Ferrari. Sebastian Vettel only with Red Bull Racing, but not in two cycles. This also applies to all other drivers who won three or more titles.

Verstappen remains loyal to Red Bull. Despite many top personnel leaving, he wants to achieve success with the “new team.” Staying with a team through a weaker cycle and then becoming successful again - who has done that? Hamilton left McLaren for the Mercedes project, which he believed would deliver success. The same goes for Schumacher, who jumped from Benetton to Ferrari.

If Verstappen becomes world champion again with Red Bull Racing in 2027, 2028, 2029, or perhaps only in 2030, he’s not taking the easy route. On the contrary, he’s doing the hard thing. He’s choosing a path that no one else has managed to follow successfully. So what Hamilton said is nonsense. Switching teams isn’t the hardest path - it’s the easiest.