Lewis Hamilton breaks silence as Ferrari contract rumours reach breaking point
Lewis Hamilton has spoken out on his difficult start to life at Ferrari, with the seven-time world champion currently facing an uncertain future with the Italian team
Lewis Hamilton has hit back at criticism over his underwhelming start at Ferrari as questions swirl about his long-term future. The 40-year-old made the switch to the Italian team from Mercedes at the start of the 2025 season.
Hamilton currently sits sixth in the Drivers' Championship after 20 rounds, having accumulated 146 points so far. His Ferrari colleague Charles Leclerc is 64 points clear in fifth place, whilst Mercedes' George Russell (258), Red Bull's Max Verstappen (321), and McLaren pairing Oscar Piastri (356) and Lando Norris (357) occupy the top four.
Amid Hamilton's form struggles, claims emerged this week suggesting the seven-time world champion may not be handed a contract extension when his existing Ferrari agreement runs out. The multi-year deal that Hamilton - who is yet to secure a podium finish for his new employer - penned when joining Ferrari in early 2024 is understood to continue until the conclusion of next season.
Though reports earlier this year indicated Hamilton's contract might include a personal clause allowing him to prolong his arrangement until the end of 2027 at his discretion, potentially leaving Ferrari with minimal influence over the decision. In an interview with Ferrari Magazine, Hamilton has mounted a robust defence of his challenging spell at the Italian outfit.
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton finds out Ferrari's view on making new contract offer after £50m agreementREAD MORE: Lewis Hamilton's difficult first year at Ferrari summed up as rival exposes 'chaos'When questioned whether he anticipated his Ferrari move would prove so significant, Hamilton acknowledged there is scope for improvement. He said: "I knew that aligning our brands would be big.
"But it still hits you and you're like: 'This is even more powerful than I imagined.' It's beautiful and there have been plenty of positives, although a lot of responsibility and weight comes with it. Everyone expects to win straight away, but Rome wasn't built in a day. How long did it take? We'll have to look that up."
When asked whether F1 fans understand that it takes time to settle in and achieve success, Hamilton responded: "Only when you're inside a team can you really, truly understand how it works and how F1 works. You can't imagine how the machine really operates otherwise.
"I've been in F1 for so long, but when I came to this team it really was different again. So I don't blame people for not knowing. All I can do is continue to focus on the things that I can control. How I prepare and work with the team. How I show up each day and stay positive."
Whilst Hamilton may have the possibility of extending his contract until 2027, reports emerged earlier this week suggesting that 'several senior figures' have hinted the British driver will not be offered a new deal by Ferrari when his current agreement expires.
Hamilton's remarks follow speculation linking George Russell, his former Mercedes colleague, with a potential future move to Ferrari. An Italian publication has suggested that Russell is 'highly regarded' by Ferrari's top brass.
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