Mercedes insider says Lewis Hamilton now has ‘very clear’ idea of when he’ll retire from Formula 1

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Lewis Hamilton is the second-most experienced driver on the Formula 1 grid. He recently made his 350th Grand Prix start, and his move to Ferrari should take him beyond 400.

Only Fernando Alonso, who will make his 400th start in Qatar next month, beats that tally among active drivers. Hamilton will overtake Kimi Raikkonen for second on the all-time list in Las Vegas.

He’s featured in the last 18 Formula 1 seasons, winning a Grand Prix in 16 of those and finishing on the podium in every single one. Alonso missed two of those campaigns between his initial retirement and his return with Alpine in 2021.

Hamilton has signed an initial two-year deal with Ferrari. That will keep him in the sport for the next major regulation change in 2026.

There is the option for a third year too, but that will depend on whether both parties are still satisfied with the arrangement. Hamilton will turn 40 over the winter.

He’s motivated by the hunt for an unprecedented eighth world championship. Only three drivers have ever won the title in their 40s, and the last of those was Jack Brabham in 1966.

Lewis Hamilton ‘knows’ when the end of his Formula 1 career will be, says Mercedes insider

Author Matt Whyman has written a book titled ‘Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane’. He had the opportunity to speak to Hamilton, as well as other key figures in the team, as part of the process.

And in an interview with The Mirror, he said the 105-time race winner gave the impression that he knew exactly when he was going to retire. His move to Ferrari is part of a carefully thought-out plan for the remainder of his career.

He didn’t want to walk away from F1 with any regrets, which is why he’s pursued his Maranello dream. Fred Vasseur, who used to be involved in the junior formulae, says Hamilton was talking about Ferrari in 2004.

“He knows when the end of his career will be,” Whyman said. “He has got this very clear plan ahead of him.

“He said it is really meaningful to him, the fact that he has won all these races with Mercedes and he has been on this journey. The one thing he had not done and he just thought, ‘I do not want to walk away and go, I wish I had done that’.”

The favourite to succeed Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari is already clear

One would expect Hamilton to retire in either 2026 or 2027. Alonso may be racing until he’s 45, but it’s unlikely that his old McLaren teammate will carry on that long.

If he manages to win his eighth title in the next couple of years, then he can retire feeling his career is complete. Conversely, if he struggles as he has done for much of 2024, then Ferrari may decide to move on themselves.

The obvious candidate to succeed Hamilton would be Oliver Bearman. If he shines for a couple of seasons at Haas, the academy driver should step up, just as Charles Leclerc did.

Mercedes have already backed a young talent to replace the legendary figure, in their case Bearman’s PREMA teammate Kimi Antonelli. However, Carlos Sainz could also return to Ferrari one day, with the two sides parting on good terms.