Lewis Hamilton is quickly giving Ferrari no choice but to promote Oliver Bearman for 2027

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Lewis Hamilton started the season out strong, but his recent dip in form has shown that Ferrari might have to look beyond him next season.

There has been a concern that Hamilton’s strong start has been neutralised by the new regulations this season.

After earning his first podium this season at the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton has struggled to perform during races, often citing issues with his car.

Ralf Schumacher believes Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso should retire at the end of 2026. Do you think he is being fair?

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To be fair to him, Ferrari haven’t fixed Hamilton’s issues with the car, which is what led to him falling behind the pack at the Miami Grand Prix.

But if Lewis Hamilton can’t turn his form around back to where it was at the start of the season, Ferrari might have to consider moving on from him and promoting Oliver Bearman to the team.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton has ‘heard’ that McLaren’s Miami GP upgrades were much better than they expected

Lewis Hamilton isn’t delivering on championship expectations at the start of the season

In the first two races this season, Hamilton finished P4 and P3, showing a level of competitiveness we hadn’t seen from him in almost five years.

That initial form from Hamilton suggested that he might be able to compete for a championship this season if Ferrari were able to get the car to the level it was needed.

But this strong start quickly dissipated, as Hamilton has finished P6 in the last two races, well outside the podium picture for the entirety of both races.

And with this dip in form, Hamilton’s positivity towards the new season quickly turned negative, as he became more frustrated with his and the team’s performances.

Of course, it is still very early in the season. And while Ferrari brought 11 upgrades to Miami, they clearly have a long way to go.

Ferrari didn’t gain much pace with their upgrades, but with a little work, the story could be very different. But what if these upgrades don’t make much of a difference in Hamilton’s form?

READ MORE: Nico Rosberg ‘happy’ for Lewis Hamilton after he ‘finally adapted’ to Ferrari

When will Lewis Hamilton retire from Formula 1?

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Ferrari have to consider replacing Lewis Hamilton with Oliver Bearman

Ferrari have the option to call up Oliver Bearman from Haas whenever they want. The young driver has shown glimpses of his potential with two finishes in the points this season.

Whether Hamilton retires to make way for Bearman or not is yet to be determined, as the seven-time world champion hasn’t given any indication about his future plans.

But if the pairing of Leclerc and Hamilton can’t help Ferrari make a serious push for both championships, it might be time for them to consider moving on from Hamilton and moving Bearman up.

Bearman has said he’s ready to replace Hamilton when the time comes. And with Hamilton’s recent slump possibly continuing, that time might come sooner than he anticipated.

Of course, there is always the risk that Bearman could join another team if Ferrari wait too long to promote him to the team.

It’s time for Ferrari to make some difficult decisions about their future plans, as it could shape the future of their team.