‘Controversial’ Lewis Hamilton contract clause uncovered as Ferrari left powerless – report
Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari from Mercedes at the start of F1 2025
Lewis Hamilton could have the power to extend his Ferrari contract into the F1 2027 season regardless of his performance level, it has been claimed.
And Ferrari could be powerless to stop it, with the option to extend the contract reportedly lying entirely on Hamilton’s side.
F1 rumour: Lewis Hamilton contract clause opens door to Ferrari extension
Hamilton joined Ferrari from Mercedes at the start of the F1 2025 season in one of the biggest transfers in Formula 1 history.
It marked only the second team switch of Hamilton’s illustrious career, with his only previous move occurring at the end of 2012 when he swapped McLaren for Mercedes.
Hamilton and Ferrari opted against specifying the exact length of the contract signed by the seven-time World Champion in early 2024, describing it only as a ‘multi-year’ arrangement.
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It is widely believed that the deal covers two seasons, taking Hamilton until the end of the 2026 campaign, by which time he will be on the verge of his 42nd birthday.
However, it has been claimed that Hamilton could activate an option to remain at Ferrari for a third season in 2027.
According to F1-Insider, the respected Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport has suggested that Hamilton’s contract contains a ‘controversial’ clause that will potentially allow him to stay for an additional season.
It means Hamilton’s future will lie ‘entirely in his hands’, giving Ferrari ‘little say’ on the seven-time World Champion’s future even if he continues to underperform.
Hamilton has had a disappointing start to life at Ferrari in F1 2025, failing to register a podium finish across his first 14 appearances for his new team.
The 40-year-old, who did convert pole position into victory in the China sprint race earlier this season, trails team-mate Charles Leclerc by 42 points with 10 races remaining.
Hamilton cut a downbeat figure at the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, where he could only manage 12th on the grid on a weekend Leclerc took pole position with the SF-25 car.
The British driver repeatedly referred to himself as “useless” after qualifying in Budapest and even suggested that Ferrari should consider replacing him.
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com 24 hours later, Hamilton admitted that his feelings had not changed before alluding to concerns behind the scenes at Ferrari.
“There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great,” he said.
Hamilton previously told media including PlanetF1.com that his “bosses are not happy” with his results following April’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the pressure increasing in him to perform.
Even if the option exists for Hamilton to extend his Ferrari contract until the end of 2027, it is possible that he could retire at the end of 2026 if he feels he can no longer compete at the front of the field.
More on Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari from PlanetF1.com
Despite his emotional comments in Hungary, Hamilton recently hinted that he is at Ferrari for the long haul, revealing that he has held a series of meetings with Ferrari’s top brass at Maranello in an attempt to turn the situation around.
Hamilton has also submitted various “documents” to Ferrari, proposing changes to the car and the team’s structure, to ensure that his stint with the Scuderia ends in success.
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com at the Belgian Grand Prix last month, Hamilton revealed that his willingness to “go the extra mile” is driven by his “refusal” to follow in the footsteps of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, established champions who failed to win the title with Ferrari.
Hamilton said: “The reason for it is that I see a huge amount of potential within this team. The passion? Nothing comes close to that.
“It is a huge organisation and there’s a lot of moving parts and not all of them are firing on all the cylinders that need to be.
“That’s ultimately why the team’s not had the success that I think it deserves.
“So I feel that it’s my job to challenge absolutely every area, to challenge everybody in the team, particularly the guys that are at the top making the decisions.
“If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they’ve had amazing drivers.
“You’ve had Kimi [Raikkonen, 2007 World Champion], you’ve had Fernando, you’ve had Sebastian. All world champions.
“However, they didn’t win a World Champion[ship] with Ferrari. And I refuse for that to be the case with me, so I’m going the extra mile.
“I’ve obviously been very fortunate to have had experiences in two other great teams.
“And whilst things for sure are going to be different, because there’s a different culture and everything, I think sometimes if you take the same path all the time, you get the same results, so I’m just challenging certain things.
“They’ve been incredibly responsive. We’ve been improving in so many areas, through marketing and everything we’re continuously delivering for sponsors, the way the engineers continue to work.
“There’s lots of work and improvements to be made, but very responsive and I guess ultimately just trying to really, really create allies within the organisation and get them gee’d up, get them pushing.
“I’m here to win. And I don’t have as much time as this one here [Andrea Kimi Antonelli], so it’s crunch time.
“I truly believe in the potential of this team. I really, really believe that they can win multiple World Championships moving forward.
“They already have an amazing legacy, but during my time that’s my sole goal.”
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