Hamilton may face F1 retirement after 2026

(GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s brutal slump (pictured in Qatar paddock) has triggered fresh doubts about his future, with Pedro de la Rosa warning that 2026 may be the seven-time champion’s final chance to rediscover his old level.

Hamilton’s season hit new lows in Qatar. He has now lost 18-5 to Charles Leclerc in qualifying – the worst defeat any teammate has ever suffered against the Monegasque, surpassing Marcus Ericsson’s 17-4 loss in 2018.

A dejected Lewis Hamilton 2025 Qatar GP. Photo courtesy of Gregoire Truchet truchetgreg@gmail.com

He has also failed to escape Q1 twice in a row, something previously only seen when Ferrari ran emergency replacements Luca Badoer and Giancarlo Fisichella during Felipe Massa’s 2009 absence.

Hamilton has been seen hiding from cameras in the paddock and admitted Pierre Gasly approached him after the sprint to say: “Yo, you look so bad.”

Hamilton replied: “Yeah, I know – no sh*t, Sherlock.”

Asked what must improve before Sunday’s race, Hamilton snapped: “I’ll be here all day. It’s just unbelievable.”

Leclerc agreed Ferrari’s Qatar performance was “awful”, but the intra-team scoreline speaks for itself.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur admitted psychological fatigue has played a major role this year after the team abandoned 2025 development as early as April.

“It was a tough call,” he said.

“Perhaps I underestimated the psychological side. When you know you won’t bring any aero development and still have 18 or 20 races left, it’s tough to manage.”

De la Rosa, Hamilton’s former McLaren colleague and now DAZN pundit, believes the Briton’s decline began with the introduction of ground-effect regulations.

Pedro de la Rosa of Spain and Aston Martin F1 Team arrives in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 20, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zak Mauger/LAT Images for Aston Martin)

“It’s not this Ferrari that’s giving him trouble,” he said.

“It’s the ground effect. Since 2022 we haven’t seen the Hamilton of 2021 – aggressive, fast, complete. He didn’t shine against Russell at Mercedes either.”

De la Rosa says 2026 will be decisive.

“If next year we see the Hamilton we’ve known for decades, perfect. If not, then it will be something more serious than ground effect, and he will have to think hard about what to do – because everyone’s day comes.”