F1 rivals no more? Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen get the giggles in Bahrain

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen having a giggle at Wednesday's press conference in Bahrain — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Social

F1 rivals no more? Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen get the giggles in Bahrain

What on earth are they laughing at?

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 20 February 2026 22:57

Old F1 rivalries appear to have dissipated in Bahrain after Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen got the giggles during Wednesday's press conference.

Ever since their 2021 title duel, Hamilton vs Verstappen have entered the list of legendary F1 rivalries, comprised of the likes of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, James Hunt and Niki Lauda.

As they battled tooth and nail for the 2021 title, frustration often spilled over into the media, most notably at Silverstone. Hamilton collided with the Dutchman, who was taken to hospital for precautionary checks and the Brit went on to win his home race.

Article continues under video

Hamilton's celebrations at the end of the race led to Verstappen calling out his actions as 'disrespectful' and 'unsportsmanlike'. This was one of the many flash points across the season (the less said about Abu Dhabi the better), all of which translated into tense relations on and off the track, not just between the drivers, but also between their respective fanbases.

Nearly five years on from their championship rivalry, much has changed. Hamilton is now a Ferrari driver, Verstappen a four-time champion and the pair can be seen...wait, what? Having a laugh? F1 Twitter, prepare to be stunned.

What were Hamilton and Verstappen laughing about?

At Wednesday's press conference during the second week of testing in Bahrain, both Hamilton and Verstappen were in attendance, and after images surfaced from the media session, the pair were snapped having a good old giggle.

What about, I hear you ask? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe, they'd just received the news about the vote on Mercedes' power unit trick? Or perhaps they'd heard the gargle of the Honda engine attempting to make its way around the circuit. Maybe an invite to model Lewis' latest lululemon collection? Hmm...maybe not the last one.

Of course, it's nice to see such titans of the sport in harmony, with this respect having permeated over the past five years as their title fight slipped further into distant memory.

Hamilton praised Verstappen after he clawed his way back into the 2025 title fight, commending his 'amazing job' and the 'phenomenal team' behind him.

Likewise, Verstappen has extended support during Hamilton's testing first year at Ferrari, commiserating that it wasn't 'nice to see' and that it 'hurt his heart'.

Needless to say, if Ferrari and Red Bull return to the top of the competitive order an old rivalry could be reignited, especially with a hungry Hamilton once again in the hunt for a record-breaking eighth world title.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari pre-season testing