F1 team principal sparks Lewis Hamilton retirement fears

A statement from an F1 team principal has led to fears that Lewis Hamilton could be about to retire.

Hamilton is 40 years old, but has recently embarked on a new challenge with Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion joined the most successful team in F1 history back in January, with the hope of being able to challenge for a record-breaking eighth title once more.

While Hamilton has struggled to find any kind of form at Ferrari, the Brit is hoping to bounce back in 2026, when new regulations sweep into the sport.

That has not stopped rumours of retirement before his contract ends, however, and now Williams team principal James Vowles has accidentally panicked fans into thinking Hamilton is about to announce his retirement.

Posting a picture of himself and Hamilton on X, Vowles said: "I will always hold fond memories of all the wins and championships with Lewis; he is, and always will be, a source of inspiration for me."

That led fans to despair, thinking a retirement announcement could be coming soon from the Ferrari star.

One user replied to the post saying: "Made me think Lewis is leaving F1 with this tweet," while another said: "Thought he retired for one sec there."

Another pointed at the strange timing of Vowles' post, saying: "And you just remembered that on a random Tuesday afternoon??? I thought he retired or something."

The shock from fans continued: "OMG I thought he retired," but it's safe to say that Hamilton has not retired, and is committed to seeing out his contract with Ferrari, which runs until the end of the 2026 season.

Hamilton's 2025 woes

Hamilton and Vowles know each other from the 10 seasons they spent together at Mercedes, with Hamilton winning six titles in that time.

Vowles then jumped ship at the end of 2022 to become Williams team principal, while Hamilton's time with Mercedes came to an end at the end of last season.

Hamilton has since suffered a torrid first season at Ferrari, failing to secure a single grand prix podium, and sitting down in sixth in the drivers' championship.

The seven-time champion is 46 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, who has also outqualified him on 12 out of 16 occasions.

Hamilton was hoping to put on a show in front of Ferrari's fans in his first Italian Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver last weekend, but he could only finish sixth after a penalty that was carried over from the Dutch GP the week before.

I will always hold fond memories of all the wins and championships with Lewis; he is, and always will be, a source of inspiration for me. pic.twitter.com/mYEC6SKRjf

— James Vowles (@JV_F1) September 9, 2025

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