Fred Vasseur has drawn up a four-driver shortlist in case Lewis Hamilton leaves Ferrari

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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur knows that one of his drivers may well leave at the end of the 2026 season. Uncertainty surrounds Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, albeit for different reasons.

Hamilton’s Ferrari contract runs until the end of 2027 but there are reports that the third year of the deal is not guaranteed. It’s difficult to envisage the seven-time world champion staying if his miserable 2025 season is repeated – there would surely be little appetite from either side.

While his teammate was one of F1’s top performers last year, scoring seven podiums in a fundamentally flawed car, his impatience has led him to consider his future. Leclerc has told Ferrari it’s ‘now or never’, a warning that he may leave to strengthen his championship ambitions.

Finish the sentence: In 2027, the Ferrari driver line-up will be…

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It should be noted that Ferrari are unlikely to change their whole line-up. If Leclerc chooses to go, it’s more likely that Hamilton stays in order to minimise disruption.

McLaren drivers feature on Fred Vasseur’s 2027 Ferrari shortlist

As noted by AS-Web, there’s a chance that Hamilton, who turned 41 on Wednesday, chooses to retire at the end of the season. Vasseur has four drivers in mind if the Briton moves on.

The first, and most obvious, option is Oliver Bearman. Bearman is effectively on loan at Haas from the Ferrari driver academy and has been ‘earmarked’ for a future seat after an impressive rookie season.

Another internal candidate, albeit far less likely, is Rafael Camara. Camara won the F3 title last year and will step up to F2 in 2026.

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Vasseur has ‘very high hopes’ for him, but while Kimi Antonelli recently jumped straight from F2 to a top seat, it’s more likely that the Brazilian starts in the midfield.

Looking to the market, Vasseur is ‘keeping a close eye’ on the situation at McLaren to see if either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri consider their options. He could attempt an audacious swoop.

Ferrari have already tried to sign Lando Norris, but Oscar Piastri move is more realistic

It recently emerged that Norris was ‘in the running’ for a Ferrari seat before committing his long-term future to McLaren prior to the 2024 season.

However, Norris has just become McLaren’s first F1 champion since 2008. A departure shouldn’t be ruled out entirely – the landscape can change very quickly in the sport – but it doesn’t appear realistic.

Piastri, on the other hand, is a more viable target. He lost out to Norris by 13 points in last year’s title race and was on the wrong end of some controversial team orders as McLaren enforced their unique managerial philosophy.

Ferrari have already been linked with Piastri and could be his best alternative if he does seek a move away. Much will depend, clearly, on the relative performance of the two teams under the new regulations.

Piastri is under contract until the end of 2028 after signing an extension last March, but the consensus is that most drivers have negotiated exit clauses with an eye on the rules reset.