"Max Verstappen has been living rent-free in his head since 2021": Fans react to Lewis Hamilton's dig at the Red Bull driver 

F1 fans were left reeling after Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton took a cheeky dig at Red Bull driver Max Verstappen while commenting on his performance in the 2025 Austrian GP qualifying session. It was one of Hamilton's better sessions in the SF-25 since the start of the year, as he qualified P4 for the main race on Sunday while Verstappen languished in P7.

The seven-time F1 world champion had struggled in the first two practice sessions on Friday and painted a grim picture about their upgraded car in Spielberg. However, after making some overnight changes, he and teammate Charles Leclerc were able to deliver good results in qualifying and finished P4 and P2, respectively.

Speaking with the media in his post-quali interview, Lewis Hamilton was asked if he could make further progress in the main race and finish, to which the Brit replied:

"I mean, Max isn't up there. I won't be bumping into anybody, that's for sure."

F1 fans took to X to give their reactions to Lewis Hamilton's comment on Max Verstappen, with one fan claiming:

"I'm not even mad, Max has been living rent-free in his head since 2021, and he keeps confirming it with these unprovoked comments." "And won't be winning either. Lol." "Won't age well."

Here are some more reactions:

"Winners focus on winning. Losers focus on winners," said a fan. "Max Will overtake this bum easily tomorrow," wrote a fan. "He really can't forget max, I understand you Lewis that's how the head of a fan works," claimed another.

Lewis Hamilton has yet to finish on the podium in the main race this year but has claimed back-to-back podiums in the Sprint format, including a win in China.

Lewis Hamilton analyzes his qualifying performance in Austria

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton stated that it was a fantastic result for the Italian team, as he and teammate Charles Leclerc started from the front two rows of the grid for the main race.

Speaking with Sky Sports, the 40-year-old commented on his performance and said:

"It's a fantastic result. The team have worked really hard back at the factory to bring us a new floor this weekend. Considering yesterday, we were a lot further off, for us to be much closer and on the second row is really fantastic. And for Charles on the front row, too. My last lap wasn't perfect. "I think if I'd finished it, I would have been second, so there are lots of positives to take out from that session. Just timings, the information we're getting in terms of traffic and positioning on track, I think was really the best and proper world-class, so that's what we've been working towards."

Lewis Hamilton has not finished on the podium in Austria since 2022, when he had P3 after Carlos Sainz DNF'd in the final few laps of the race.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam