It’s time to leave the driving seat – Lewis Hamilton gets some tough advice about retiring as Ferrari faces challenges
Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton has been encouraged to consider retiring and let the younger drivers take the spotlight.
Hamilton didn’t get a single podium finish in his first season with Ferrari, but he did come third ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc in Shanghai this March. Now 41, the English driver hasn’t won a Grand Prix on the track since his Silverstone victory two years ago. A former competitor thinks it’s time for him to step down after the 2026 season.
“Hamilton is doing better this year,” said Ralf Schumacher, who won six Grands Prix with Williams and now works as a Sky Sport Germany expert. “But over the whole season, he won’t beat Leclerc. It’s time for him to retire — and the same goes for Fernando Alonso. They’ve both had great careers in Formula 1, but now it’s time for younger drivers to take over.”
Schumacher also believes Oliver Bearman, a 21-year-old from Essex who’s been trained by Ferrari and currently races for Haas, could be the perfect replacement. Bearman earned his best result with a fourth place in Mexico City last year and finished fifth in Shanghai earlier this year.
“If Bearman gets a chance, he could even challenge Charles Leclerc,” said Schumacher. “I’m pretty sure he’s actually better.”
Talk of Hamilton retiring has grown with Ferrari’s struggles since he joined from Mercedes after the 2024 season. In 2025, Ferrari finished fourth in the constructors’ championship and didn’t win a race for the first time since 2021.
Journalist Louis Dekker and former F3 driver Jeroen Bleekemolen discussed on the NOS-F1 podcast that Hamilton might announce his retirement at Silverstone in July.
“Besides great starts, they aren’t really able to fight for wins,” said Dekker. “I think Hamilton will announce he’s retiring at Silverstone at the end of this season.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are leading the early-season driver rankings. Russell won the season opener in Melbourne, but Antonelli has taken first place in the three races since.