Max Verstappen has responded to a revealing moment from the latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, where Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff disclosed a promise he made to Lewis Hamilton not to pursue the Dutch driver while Hamilton was still with the team. The revelation, which aired on March 2, 2025, has reignited discussions about the intense rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton that defined the controversial 2021 Formula 1 season, while also shedding light on Mercedes’ driver strategy following Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari for 2025.
The behind-the-scenes footage captures Wolff discussing potential replacements for Hamilton with his wife, Susie Wolff, after the seven-time champion announced his move to Ferrari. Names like Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were mentioned, but the conversation took a turn when Verstappen’s name came up. Wolff admitted, “I haven’t talked to him because I promised Lewis not to talk to him. But I will have the conversation now.” This promise stemmed from the fallout of the 2021 season, during which Hamilton and Verstappen battled fiercely for the Drivers’ Championship, a rivalry marked by on-track clashes and off-track tension. Hamilton, who lost the title to Verstappen in dramatic fashion at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, had openly criticized the Dutchman’s driving style, calling him one of the most “ill-disciplined” drivers he’d ever raced against.
Fast forward to 2025, and Verstappen, now a four-time world champion and the dominant force at Red Bull Racing, has reacted to Wolff’s revelation with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Speaking to Autosport during a media event in Monaco on March 3, Verstappen commented on the promise, saying, “That’s really interesting to hear. I didn’t know Toto had made that promise to Lewis, but it shows how much our rivalry in 2021 affected them. It’s flattering, in a way, that they felt they needed to make such a promise. But I’m happy where I am at Red Bull, and my focus is on winning more titles with this team.”
The footage also revealed Wolff’s interest in Verstappen after Hamilton’s exit, despite the slim chances of convincing the Dutch driver to leave Red Bull. In a meeting with head of communications Bradley Lord and driver development advisor Gwen Lagrue, Wolff admitted, “It’s so difficult with Max. There’s a one percent chance that Max changes his mind.” This pursuit didn’t sit well with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who dismissed Wolff’s interest as a “distraction tactic” during the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, even joking that if Wolff wanted a Verstappen for 2025, “Jos is potentially available,” referring to Max’s father.
Hamilton’s comments from 2021, also revisited in the Drive to Survive episode, underscored the depth of their rivalry. “I’ve raced a lot of drivers in my life, in the 28 years. There’s a few at the top which are over the limit. Rules kinda don’t apply, or they don’t think of the rules,” Hamilton had said, adding, “He’s over the limit, for sure. I’ve avoided collisions on so many occasions with the guy.” While the rivalry cooled as Mercedes struggled in subsequent seasons, Wolff’s promise suggests lingering tensions influenced the team’s strategy even years later.
Verstappen’s reaction has added another layer to the narrative as the 2025 season begins. With Hamilton now at Ferrari, where he’s already shown promising pace in pre-season testing, and Verstappen aiming to extend his dominance with Red Bull, the two drivers remain central figures in F1’s ongoing drama. Fans on social media have been quick to weigh in, with some praising Wolff’s loyalty to Hamilton, while others see Verstappen’s response as a sign of his confidence in his current path. As the season opener in Melbourne approaches on March 7, the spotlight will undoubtedly remain on both drivers—whether on the track or in the headlines.
