Ferrari are reportedly not looking to extend Lewis Hamilton’s contract beyond its expiry date at the end of 2026, sparking speculation over what’s to come for the British racer. Hamilton joined Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season, leaving Mercedes. However, with his deal expiring next year, doubts over his and Charles Leclerc’s future have left question marks over their position.
According to ESPN, senior paddock figures have claimed that Ferrari currently don’t want to offer the seven-time world champion a new contract when his deal ends. Hamilton will be 42 at the start of the 2027 season, an age at which no driver has won an F1 race since Jack Brabham in South Africa in 1970.
Youngster Oliver Bearman is a driver who could replace Hamilton at Ferrari. The academy driver made his F1 debut last year when he stepped in for Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton has endured a disappointing first season with Ferrari in F1 2025 and currently remains without a podium for his new team after 20 appearances. The Hungarian Grand Prix in August was a particular low point as he failed to score a point at a track that has historically been one of his favourites.
Leclerc, whose deal also expires in 2026, leads the way for the Scuederia by 64 points with four races remaining in 2025. When Ferrari signed Hamilton from Mercedes in February 2024, there was no exact length of his contract, with it described as a multi-year deal.
ESPN’s report comes after Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport suggested in August that Hamilton’s £50million-per-year contract has the option for him to extend his stay until the end of 2027. However, it is currently unclear whether or not the 40-year-old would want to continue past 2026.
Last month, he told L’Equipe that he had “no intention” of stopping despite his struggles in 2025. Hamilton also revealed his keenness to bring success to Ferrari and win the world title.
There have also been whispers about Leclerc’s future, with some reports in Italy claiming the F1 star and his agent, Nicolas Todt, are seriously considering a future elsewhere after 2026, when his deal expires.
That remains merely speculation, however, and will likely come down to how competitive Ferrari are under the new regulations coming into force next year.
Hamilton is currently sixth in the drivers’ standings, one position below Leclerc. However, he is 64 points behind the Monegasque and a whopping 211 behind leader Lando Norris.
