At the FIA prize-giving Gala in Azerbaijan, Lewis Hamilton treated Max Verstappen with a great deal of class. As he accepted his third-place trophy, the Mercedes driver praised his opponent, but he also made sure to warn the other drivers when he evaluated his chances for the upcoming season.

Because the top three finishers in the Drivers’ Championship are required by Formula One regulations to attend the gala, Hamilton attended the event for the first time since 2020. Even though he finished in third place with the trophy, the 38-year-old had a positive attitude that evening.

When asked how the season had gone for him after winning his award, Hamilton said, “Good evening everyone, I just want to wish everyone a big, congratulations on this year.”

Everyone is eager for the winter break because it has been an incredibly long season. We are putting in a lot of effort to ensure that we return stronger the following year. I would also like to extend my congratulations to Red Bull, Verstappen, and Checo for their outstanding performance this year.

Max Verstappen performed flawlessly. We still have a ways to go before we close the gap, but Max and his team really raised the bar, and I firmly think we can do so. Hamilton continued by expressing his gratitude to his Mercedes teammates for their unwavering support throughout the season and giving them a significant vote of confidence, even though he had only recently disclosed his struggles in 2023.