Verstappen and Anthony Hamilton share surprise Portimao reunion to warm F1 fan hearts

Max Verstappen and Anthony Hamilton — father of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton — shared an unplanned paddock reunion at the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimao, sparking widespread warmth among Formula 1 fans on social media.

Verstappen used a break in the F1 calendar to compete in the GT World Challenge Europe event alongside Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat, with the trio finishing ninth. Anthony Hamilton, who was marking 35 years in motorsport, attended his first-ever GT World event during the same weekend.

Also present was MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who was competing in the race himself. Hamilton Sr. posted photos of the three men together on Instagram, writing: “Great to catch up with my friends Max and Valentino Rossi, talking all things motorsport, life and family. 35 years in motorsport and my first ever GT World event. What a day! 61 cars on the grid. What a sight, what a sound.”

He added: “I rarely take photos, but yesterday I made an exception… three absolute gentlemen.”

The post drew an enthusiastic response from F1 fans, with many describing the encounter as both “random” and “wholesome”. One Reddit user noted: “Older motorsport people seem to respect Max quite a bit. He’s probably pretty easy to talk to and has similar preferences. Remember Jacky Ickx saying that Max recognises him and comes to chat, which isn’t common amongst young drivers.”

Another fan highlighted Anthony Hamilton’s broader reputation in the paddock: “I don’t know much about Lewis’s dad, other than he’s a stand-up guy. There were a few times when he was a spare dad to one of the new rookies who just needed a kind human being, and Anthony was it. It seems that Max is cut from the same fabric.”

A third comment drew together several recent moments involving Hamilton Sr., including his immediate congratulations to Verstappen after the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi title decider and his gesture of consoling French driver Isack Hadjar following a crash. “He seems like just a genuinely good person,” the fan wrote. Others noted that Anthony Hamilton had also visited Verstappen’s garage during the weekend.