Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Lewis Hamilton is under contract at Ferrari until the end of 2026. At this point, it’s hard to feel confident about an extension.
The exact details of the contract are naturally unclear, but a report from the Italian press earlier this year claimed Hamilton has an option for 2027, rather than the team. Thus it could all depend on his appetite to continue.
2024 was statistically the worst year of Hamilton’s career, but 2025 is set to be worse. The seven-time world champion did at least win two races and score five podiums last year – this term, he hasn’t finished higher than fourth.
Hamilton only has seven races remaining to put that right. The sight of him spraying the champagne would lift his spirits and those of the team, but long-term, there are doubts over whether Ferrari are in a position to win.
Jenson Button says Lewis Hamilton could leave F1 if he’s not ‘at his best’ in 2026
Speaking ahead of qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton’s former teammate Jenson Button said he still doesn’t have ‘confidence’ in the car after 17 rounds.
Hamilton outpaced Charles Leclerc in the session and has generally felt more positive since the summer break, having cast doubt on his own future beforehand when he suggested that Ferrari should replace him.
Still, Leclerc has already sealed the 2025 qualifying head-to-head (13-5) and he leads 12-3 on Sundays, even after Hamilton failed to execute a planned swap at the end of the race in Azerbaijan.
Hamilton’s difficulties have been attributed to the ground-effect cars, so there’s some hope that the upcoming regulation changes could revitalise him. But Button thinks he could ‘walk away’ if he realises that he can no longer reach his ‘best’ form.
“We’ve seen some brilliance through the year. I take it all the way back to the Shanghai Sprint, which was very impressive,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s not consistent enough through the year for him to have that confidence in the car. He doesn’t have his team of people around him like he’s had for many years, racing at Mercedes as a world champion. It does take a bit of time.
“With the new regulation change, which is massive for next year, that’s when we’re going to see either Lewis at his best, or a Lewis that’s maybe going to walk away.”
Why Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari colleagues are ‘afraid’
Hamilton’s aforementioned performance in Shanghai, where he took pole position and dominated the Sprint, offers Ferrari something to cling to. It’s one of the only occasions all year where they have legitimately had the fastest car.
His wins in Britain and Belgium last year for Mercedes add weight to the theory that when the car comes alive, he follows suit. Indeed, one of his old colleagues said Hamilton ‘lets himself down’ when his machinery is uncompetitive.
But will the Ferrari, which appears to be the fourth-fastest car right now, be a contender next year? It’s more difficult to make a prediction than ever.
The chassis and the engines are unknowns at this stage, but Button can already see a cultural problem. He says ‘everyone’ at Ferrari is ‘afraid’ of making mistakes, which means they’re squandering their full potential.
Hamilton has been pushing for operational improvements at recent races, but he may also need to inspire a shift in mentality.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
