Devastating. That’s the only way to describe Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Scuderia Ferrari. While the seven-time world champion experienced record-breaking success with Mercedes, the entire 2025 season went on without a podium for the first time in his career. And with his teammate Charles Leclerc showing some serious competition, performing much better than him, Hamilton’s future with Ferrari was under the microscope.

But with new revelations arising, Hamilton’s deal shut down any rumors about retirement.

A look inside Hamilton’s deal with Ferrari

A new report from German outlet BILD has peeled back the curtain on what’s really happening behind the scenes at Ferrari. And Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster move may not be as smooth as it looks from the outside.

According to the report, Hamilton has faced internal criticism within the team after struggling to consistently match Charles Leclerc’s pace throughout the 2025 season, raising early questions about whether the gamble is paying off.

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However, the report also shed light on the finer details of Hamilton’s Ferrari contract, which had previously been described only as a big multi-year deal.

The seven-time world champion is now believed to be signed through the end of 2027, with a unilateral option for 2028 that allows Hamilton, not Ferrari, to decide whether he stays on.

Given his own track struggles last season, Ferrari insiders reportedly see the structure of the deal as a tricky situation.

More importantly, the financial commitment only adds to the pressure. Hamilton is said to have earned over €100 million in 2025, with roughly €55 million per year coming directly from Ferrari and the rest generated through advertising and image rights.

With both Chairman John Elkann and Team Principal Fred Vasseur initially enthusiastic about securing Hamilton on such a lucrative contract, BILD claims that Elkann has grown dissatisfied with the 40-year-old’s performance.

Vasseur, however, remains firmly in Hamilton’s corner. The pair share a long history dating back to their GP2 days, and the Ferrari team principal continues to back his star signing.

That leaves Ferrari walking a delicate line. If Hamilton fails to deliver in 2026, the Scuderia could find itself tied to an underperforming and enormously expensive contract for up to 2 more seasons, with no easy exit in sight.

But beyond that, a bigger question looms: if Hamilton walks away after 2028, who exactly is Ferrari grooming as the next long-term leader of the team?

Could Oliver Bearman take over Hamilton’s seat soon?

Oliver Bearman’s name continuously surfaces, and the picture of a long-term Ferrari driver comes up, especially when Lewis Hamilton struggled during the year.

The 20-year-old Briton made a strong impression in his first full year on the Formula One grid with Haas, where he is racing under a two-year loan deal from Ferrari that began in 2025.

From Ferrari’s perspective, Bearman has never left their orbit; he has simply been gaining experience.

Bearman has firmly placed himself in contention for a Ferrari seat as early as 2027. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are understood to have exit clauses after 2026, opening the door for change.

The confidence behind Oliver was first justified on the biggest stage last year when the 20-year-old stunned the paddock with a P7 finish on his surprise Ferrari debut at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, filling in for Carlos Sainz at short notice.

Later that season, he added to his résumé by scoring points for Haas in Azerbaijan. The momentum carried into 2025, with the Briton finishing in the points in three of the opening four races before enduring a difficult mid-season stretch.

And his stats look incredible. Bearman scored points in six of the final 10 Grand Prix, never finishing lower than P12 across nine race finishes.

But with Hamilton’s deal underway, the 20-year-old driver may just have to wait a bit. But in a spot where uncertainty hangs in the air, one can definitely expect possible changes.