“If he can’t stay fast…” – Lewis Hamilton issues a very serious retirement warning
From one British Formula 1 champion to another, Lewis Hamilton has been warned to step up his game – or Ferrari might decide to retire him without asking him first.
Since joining Ferrari, things haven’t been great for Lewis – and that’s putting it lightly. The first four races of the 2026 season have been better than a tough 2025, with Ferrari grabbing three podiums, including one for Lewis. But the team still seems far from being strong contenders for the Constructors’ Championship, and Lewis has especially fallen behind his teammate, Charles Leclerc.
With the Canadian Grand Prix coming up, fellow Brit Jenson Button has taken a tough stance, saying Lewis needs to speed up or Ferrari will push him to retire. Ferrari brought upgrades to the Miami race but ended up with their worst results yet – Lewis finished 6th and Leclerc 8th.
With no clear signs that Ferrari will soon challenge for the title, rumors about Lewis retiring have started to swirl, especially since he’s 40 and might make a big announcement at Silverstone this year. Even though Lewis has beaten Leclerc as many times as he’s been beaten, Button says Lewis has to score more points or the team might call it quits on him.
Talking to ESPN, Button said, “Last year wasn’t easy for Lewis. If he’s as fast as he thinks, then that’s great. He should feel confident and want to keep racing if he’s enjoying it. But if he’s not quick enough, the team will decide. Drivers can’t just pick when they retire. If they aren’t fast, it’s time to move on. But Lewis has shown he still has the speed this year. I don’t know if he’ll continue after this season, but I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
Lewis isn’t the only British driver under pressure. George Russell is also getting criticism as he falls behind Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. But while George has time to improve, Lewis faces a more urgent challenge.
This isn’t the first time experts have hinted that Lewis should retire. Earlier this month, Ralf Schumacher even said it’s “time to vacate the cockpits” for the seven-time world champ.