Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Bahrain, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lewis Hamilton reveals retirement requirements

The seven-time F1 champion isn't ready to hang up his race suit just yet

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Friday 6 March 2026 19:20

Lewis Hamilton has revealed he will postpone his F1 retirement until one requirement is met, and it involves the calendar.

24 races once again feature on the F1 calendar for 2026, with six of them being sprint events, with the promise of more in the future from FOM.

The idea of increasing the sprint's presence on the F1 calendar even further was recently floated at the F1 Commission meeting in Bahrain, with it being reported that the FIA had taken part in, 'discussions around the possibility of increasing the sprint events up to 12 based on the demand from fans and promoters.'

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But there are many countries who are fiercely campaigning to see their track either return to the calendar of the pinnacle of motorsport or make the case for a brand new event, with a popular destination being Africa, which Hamilton has frequently championed.

Hamilton refuses to leave F1 until he's competed in 'African GP'

"I’ve had the privilege, I’ve been to 10 countries now in Africa, there’s still so much more for me to see," he said.

The 41-year-old has been instrumental in the conversation around why Africa doesn't yet host an F1 race, going on to detail his involvement in hopefully changing this in the years to come in this week's media session.

"For the past six years, I think, maybe seven, I’ve been fighting in the background to get a grand prix [in Africa]. Sitting with the stakeholders and asking the question, ‘why are we not in Africa? We’re on every other continent, why not Africa?’

"I know they’re really trying. I think they’ve been to quite a few different countries. The ones that I’ve enjoyed the most so far, I loved Kenya, I don't think we're going to have a grand prix in Kenya but Rwanda particularly was spectacular. Two places I felt like I could live. South Africa is stunning. I think those are the ones that I think would be good places for us to potentially go to."

F1 last raced in Africa at the Kyalami circuit for the 1993 South African Grand Prix and the track near Johannesburg did previously hold a spot on the calendar between 1967 and 1985, and again in 1992 and 1993.

Though it has not returned as a grand prix destination since, the facilities have been recently upgraded to align with the FIA's Grade 1 standards, hinting that a return could be on the cards in the future.

Hamilton is certainly keeping a close eye on the progress of the project, going on to say in this week's Melbourne press conference that he refuses to retire without racing in Africa, although he is under no illusions that time is ticking.

"I don’t want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there, without getting to race there. So I'm chasing them like, 'when is it going to be?' They're setting certain dates and I'm like, 'damn, I'm running out of time'," he admitted.

"I’m going to be here for a while until that happens because that’ll be amazing, given that I’m half African. I’ve got roots from a few different places there, like Togo and Benin. I went to visit Benin last year, Senegal and Nigeria. It’s something I’m really, really proud of. I’m really proud of that part of the world. I think it is the most beautiful part of the world, and I don’t like that the rest of the world owns so much of it and takes so much from it and no one speaks about it.

"I’m really hoping that the people that are running those different countries all unite and come together and take Africa back. That’s what I want to see. Take it back from the French, take it back from the Spanish, take it back from the Portuguese and the British.

"It’s so important for the future of that continent. They have all the resources to be the greatest and most powerful place in the world, and that’s probably why they are being controlled the way they are."

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