Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko sees a “desperate” Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari after recent underwhelming performances and negative statements.

However, amid the early rumblings of speculation over what this means for Hamilton’s Ferrari future, Marko believes Hamilton has his eye on the new era from F1 2026, in hope that the Ferrari will be the “jackpot” car as he chases a record eighth World Championship.

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari: F1 2026 the true focus?

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Hamilton arrived at Ferrari to great fanfare in time for the F1 2025 campaign, but the start to his Ferrari career has not lived up to the hype.

While there has been the high of Hamilton’s China Sprint victory from pole, he is yet to finish a grand prix ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc, while large deficits over one lap of six tenths and half a second in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively, triggered a series of alarming statements from Hamilton.

Suggesting there is “no fix” and a “painful” season is ahead, to quipping that he needs a “brain transplant” to gel with the Ferrari and even hinting that patience from the bosses is wearing thin, the Hamilton and Ferrari partnership has taken an alarming turn.

Nonetheless, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has assured his continued commitment to Hamilton.

“I will be 2,000 per cent behind him,” Vasseur told the media, including PlanetF1.com, following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“I will give him support and we will start from tomorrow morning to try to find solutions and reasons and to work on it early in the morning.

“But honestly, I am not too worried.

“If you have a look on what he did in China or what he did in the race in Bahrain last week, or even on the first part of the session in this weekend, the potential is there for sure.

“We just have to adjust the balance because we are, collectively, Lewis and us, we are struggling with the balance of his car and [how] he is working the tyres.

“It’s a kind of negative spot but I think the potential of the car is there and we will try to solve that.”

And Hamilton will need that continued backing, as Marko believes it is F1 2026 which Hamilton is relying on.

The current season marks the final year of this regulatory era, as from F1 2026, new chassis and engine rules come into force, bringing with them the potential for a major shake-up in the pecking order.

“He does indeed seem desperate,” said Marko on Hamilton when speaking with F1-Insider.com.

“But I believe that he is waiting for the 2026 car and hopes that Ferrari will not only achieve the jackpot with this car, but that the Scuderia will also build a car that he can handle better.”

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Hamilton penned a multi-year contract with Ferrari from F1 2025, but at this rate, six-time grand prix winner Ralf Schumacher fears Hamilton will call it quits before he gets to the end of that deal, as he reached for the same term as Marko did to describe the seven-time World Champion.

“Lewis seems perplexed and desperate, both in what he says and in his body language,” said Schumacher.

“I know from my own experience that at some point you wake up in the morning and realise that there is no point in continuing to drive. You don’t want to stand in the way of your team.

“I hope Lewis gets his act together, but I’m afraid he’ll hang up his helmet before his contract ends.”

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