A surprising possibility has emerged in the race to secure Max Verstappen for 2026, with speculation mounting that Lewis Hamilton could retire from Ferrari after just one season, potentially opening a seat for the reigning world champion.
During the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, Fernando Alonso named three teams as potential destinations for Verstappen should he leave Red Bull. "The teams that are being mentioned are Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Ferrari, as your colleague said," he told Sky Italia's Vicky Piria.
At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc is firmly entrenched as the team's leading driver, meaning Verstappen's arrival would likely necessitate Hamilton's departure.
Ralf Schumacher, brother of Ferrari's most successful driver, Michael Schumacher, believes the 40-year-old Hamilton is on the verge of retiring. "He just can't handle the car," the former Formula 1 driver told Sky Deutschland.
"We talk a lot about Lando Norris, but it's worse with Lewis. He's really slumped. Obviously, for some reason, it's just not working out."
Schumacher suggested that Hamilton's ongoing struggles could lead to a breaking point. "I know from my own experience—if things continue like this, it's no fun anymore," he said.
"Then he'll wake up one morning and think 'Why am I doing this to myself? I'm not having fun anymore and I'm getting in the way of my team'."
Further imagining Hamilton's mindset, Schumacher added, "I want to live my life now, I'm 40 years old, I'm so rich."
The six-time grand prix winner acknowledged the ambitious nature of Hamilton's Ferrari project but highlighted the performance gap. "What Ferrari and Hamilton had planned is a huge project, but at the moment, he's a long way from Leclerc," he said. "I would never have thought it would be this extreme."
Sport1 quoted Schumacher further, stating, "Lewis seems desperate and confused, both in what he says and in his body language. I hope he turns things around, but I fear he'll hang up his helmet before his contract ends."
Should Hamilton step away, Verstappen would be a prime candidate to replace him.
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko echoed Schumacher's observations about Hamilton's current state. "Hamilton does indeed seem desperate," Marko said.
"But I believe he's waiting for 2026, hoping that Ferrari will not only hit the jackpot with that car, but also that it will be a car that he can handle better."
Former F1 driver Marc Surer suggested that Ferrari might also encourage Hamilton's exit if his performance doesn't improve. "Whether Hamilton decides to retire is one thing," Surer said.
"But at some point, merchandising sales will no longer matter to Ferrari because the success is lacking. Then Ferrari will ask Lewis if he wants to retire—especially because they know that a certain Max Verstappen might be on the market."
