Ferrari have signed seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton alongside Charles Leclerc for the 2025 Formula 1 season. But it may not be long before they have to re-enter the driver market.
Leclerc is a product of the Ferrari driver academy and has raced for the team since 2019. The Tifosi have adopted him as one of their racing sons.
Unless the Scuderia suffer a sustained drop-off or Leclerc grows unhappy in his surroundings – neither of which looks likely – it’s feasible that he’ll spend his best years at Maranello. The questions surround Hamilton instead.
That’s mostly because of his age. Hamilton will turn 40 over the winter, and while Fernando Alonso plans to race until he’s at least 45, there’s no guarantee his former teammate will follow.
Hamilton also arrives at Ferrari needing to prove that he’s not in decline. He’s had his poorest season ever in qualifying, trailing George Russell 17-5 ahead of the final two races.
It’s unclear what’s to blame for his struggles. His driving style may not suit the current generation of cars – or his enigmatic Mercedes – and he may be lacking in confidence, but whatever the explanation, these are certainly concerning times for his supporters.
Carlos Sainz may have hurt his long-term Ferrari prospects at Las Vegas Grand Prix
Ferrari are letting Carlos Sainz go upon the expiry of his contract in December to sign Hamilton. But this isn’t an indictment of his performances.
Instead, they’ve made this decision simply because the most successful driver in F1 history was on the market. That’s why there’s a chance Sainz returns to Ferrari in the future.
The Spaniard, who earns £9.6m per year based on Spotrac figures, will have to impress at Williams to ensure his stock remains high. But neither party has ruled out a reunion.
However, Motorsport.com journalists Alex Kalinauckas and Oleg Karpov fear he’s just damaged his relationship with the team. Sainz appeared to defy team orders when he overtook Leclerc at the start of the final stint.
Kalinauckas says there’s now a ‘risk’ that Ferrari won’t consider bringing him back ‘in the coming years’. Karpov, meanwhile, suspects he’s made ‘his future a little more difficult’.
Ferrari may remove him from their ‘list’ if he leaves the team with a ‘bittersweet’ feeling. From that standpoint, he would be wise to clear the air with Leclerc before the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.
Key detail in Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari contract could point to retirement plan
Helmut Marko believes Hamilton will be an upgrade on Sainz even though Russell has outperformed him this year. He is ‘curious’ to see whether Fred Vasseur can maintain ‘harmony’, though.
Hamilton showed in Vegas that he can still be elite when he has a contending car. P10 in qualifying was bitterly disappointing, but his fightback to second place earned the driver of the day award.
The Englishman has signed an initial two-year deal with the Scuderia. There is then the option for a third season if both parties opt in.
Driver number 44 will assess Ferrari’s performance under the new regulations, and Vasseur will have to make a judgement on his longevity. Hamilton knows when he’ll retire, with 2026 or 2027 looking most likely.
Leave feedback about this