Lewis Hamilton Warns Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris About Max Verstappen

Amid the mounting pressure from Verstappen, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had some wise words for the McLaren drivers.

What Did Lewis Hamilton Say to Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris?

Ahead of the Mexico GP weekend, Lewis Hamilton spoke to several media outlets, including Sky Sports, where he was asked what advice he’d give the McLaren drivers as Verstappen closes the gap in the title race.

Choosing to send a wake-up call, the 40-year-old said, “You really have to be cut-throat. That's what Max is. He’s gonna take this [championship] from them if they don't do the same.”

“They've got to be pushing and you have got to dig deep to, firstly, be able to hold off someone like Max and in the car that he's in at the moment,” the British driver added.

F1 Commentators Disappointed at McLaren's Strategy

Speaking about McLaren's strategy at the US GP, F1 co-commentator Karun Chandhok, alongside Simon Lazenby and David Croft, expressed their disappointment over McLaren's choice of tyres.

F1 pundits had anticipated that McLaren, particularly Lando Norris, would opt for the soft tyres to take a more aggressive strategy. "I was 100% thinking if there was somebody in the top 10 who’d put the softs on, it had to be Lando," said Chandhok on Sky Sports' The F1 Show.

"They had to seize the initiative at the start. I have to say, I was a little disappointed not to see it because it pointed to a less aggressive mindset. To me, it suggested that if we get second, that’s okay for the championship, rather than thinking we need to stop the momentum of the thing," he added.

Giving Ferrari's example, he justified, "Clearly, the soft tire worked at the start, not just for the launch but also the exit of Turn 1, where [Charles Leclerc] had the grip to drive around the outside and the traction down the hill."

"The strategy worked okay. I don’t think it was necessarily a better one, but it would have given him a chance to at least stay ahead of Leclerc and fight within the top five," concluded the F1 co-commentator.

McLaren vs. Red Bull at the Mexican GP

Ever since Verstappen's win at the US GP, fans and pundits alike are wondering: Will McLaren eventually back one driver over the other in the fight for the championship?

Addressing the burning question, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said, “When it comes to having to make a call as to a driver, this will only be led by mathematics.”

Additionally, he confirmed there will be no further major upgrades as the team focuses on extracting maximum performance from the existing package.

Meanwhile, their rival teased a major upgrade for the final stretch of the 2025 F1 season. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko suggested, “We still have something up our sleeve.” However, it won't be at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

However, Marko shared his uncertainty about the timing of the latest upgrade, saying, “I don’t know exactly when it will come.”

With Verstappen clawing back points and Lewis Hamilton’s words echoing across the paddock, McLaren’s approach in the coming races could define the 2025 season. One thing’s certain: the fight for the title is far from over, and the high-altitude heat of Mexico City might just turn up the pressure even more.