'Even If He’s The Greatest...': Nico Rosberg Claims Age Affecting Lewis Hamilton

Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 13:03 IST

Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari was 11th after the second free practice session ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to keep pushing despite the disappointment. (AP Photo)

Lewis Hamilton faced disappointment yet remained determined on Friday evening after a challenging day of practice at the Spanish Grand Prix. During this time, his former team-mate Nico Rosberg suggested that Hamilton’s age might be affecting his performance.

Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this year, finished 11th after the second free practice session and described his car as “not driveable." Team boss Fred Vasseur clarified that the radio comments were “a bit extreme."

As the 40-year-old Briton struggled to handle his unpredictable car around the Circuit de Catalunya, Rosberg, who beat him to the world title in 2016, told SkyF1 that age could be a factor in Hamilton’s challenges this year.

“Even if he’s the greatest of all time, at some point you are going to get a little bit slower and that’s age related," said Rosberg. “And when you are 40, it’s going to happen sooner rather than later."

Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, Leclerc, was sixth and expressed positive surprise at his car’s performance and potential.

Hamilton maintained a stoic expression. When asked about his day, he said, “Not fun. It’s a beautiful place, the weather has been amazing, but no, not a good day."

He added that he did not feel he was using his experience to motivate the team. “I wouldn’t say that. You just keep your head down and keep working away. You just don’t give up. You keep going, you keep pushing."

Rosberg expressed sympathy for Hamilton. “If we can come to the worst car, it’s the Ferrari," he said. “Oh my goodness! Poor Lewis Hamilton. That car is a handful. I mean the rear is just so loose and snappy so even on the entry, Lewis had to fully steer out again to avoid binning. So, I really feel for him at the moment."

Hamilton, who has won the Spanish race a record six times, addressed speculation on Thursday about his working relationship with race engineer Riccardo Adami. “There is a lot of speculation and most of it is BS," he told reporters. “We have a great relationship. He is amazing to work with. He is a great guy, working so hard, as we both are. It is all noise and we are ignoring it."

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News sports 'Even If He’s The Greatest...': Nico Rosberg Claims Age Affecting Lewis Hamilton