Formula 1 Rumor: Ferrari will not renew Hamilton after 2026

Speaking on Ferrari’s F1 struggles and the team not living up to expectations, ESPN Formula 1 reporter Nate Saunders writes, that the F1 paddock does not see Lewis Hamilton (pictured) driving for Ferrari after 2026.

“As for [Lewis] Hamilton, several senior paddock figures have suggested to ESPN that the seven-time world champion will not be offered another contract when his expires at the end of 2026 given his performances. That seems a premature prediction, but what is clear is that something has not clicked between the British driver and Italian team this year, even if his outright pace relative to Leclerc has not been quite as bad as some naysayers have suggested.

“Hamilton had always said he was joining to be competitive in 2026, not 2025, but the nature of this season has made that an even bigger point of focus. Expectations on both sides of that equation will be high next season — Hamilton will expect a better race car and likely a more coherent race operation behind the scenes; Ferrari will expect a driver who better meets Hamilton’s superstar billing. The two may well go hand in hand.”

Editor’s Note: Ferrari is paying Lewis Hamilton a lot of money, and his results are not commensurate with the large amount. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, is beating him at every turn and he is paid far less.