Lewis Hamilton retirement could trigger major Ferrari U-turn

Ferrari have been tipped to make a surprising U-turn should Lewis Hamilton opt for an early F1 exit.

Hamilton sent shockwaves throughout the F1 paddock in 2024, when Ferrari announced he would be replacing Carlos Sainz at the team.

Since then, however, Hamilton has failed to make any kind of impression on the most successful team in F1 history, not even claiming a single grand prix podium in his first 14 race weekends.

Sainz has also struggled trying to adapt to his new Williams team, sat down in 16th in the drivers' championship, eight places and 38 points behind team-mate Alex Albon.

Following Hamilton's comments at the Hungarian Grand Prix, when he suggested that Ferrari should consider replacing him before the end of his contract, former F1 racer Johnny Herbert has been weighing up who would replace the seven-time champion should he leave early.

"I don’t think it would be Verstappen," Herbert told Grosvenor Casinos. "It could be one of the younger drivers, I guess. But I saw a little interview with Carlos Sainz, and he said when asked if he would go back to Ferrari, he replied, ‘Yeah, maybe!’

"Carlos was doing an absolutely brilliant job and was really keeping Charles under control. He's still young. He's still doing a good job, even if he’s struggling with Williams a bit. But we know how good he was when he was at Ferrari."

READ MORE: F1 pundit warns Mercedes 'embarrassing' driver over Max Verstappen pursuit

Will Hamilton remain at Ferrari?

Hamilton's rather downbeat interviews in recent weeks have led some pundits to speculate as to whether Hamilton will still be a Ferrari driver in 2026.

Ralf Schumacher, for example, recently backed Hamilton to make an immediate decision to retire from the sport, while Damon Hill suggested that it is difficult to know when the time may be up on your F1 career.

One thing is for sure, though, Hamilton's performances need to drastically improve ahead of the all-important 2026 season, when new regulations may offer a chance for Ferrari to make a jump on their rivals.

Hamilton will hope that the newly-designed 2026 cars will be better suited to his driving talents, with the 40-year-old only having claimed two grands prix wins since the most recent regulations came into play in 2022.

For Sainz, it will be all about whether his Williams team are able to provide him with a car capable of challenging nearer to the front, following his displacement from the Ferrari setup.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton issues frank response as F1 legend quizzed on Christian Horner axe

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