New ‘issue for Lewis Hamilton’ identified as Ferrari replacement knocks on door

Signed to Ferrari for the F1 2026 season, Lewis Hamilton has another opportunity to stamp his authority at the team, or he risks being replaced by Oliver Bearman, who is “an issue” for the Briton.

Hamilton joined Ferrari this year on the back of 12 seasons with Mercedes, while Bearman made his full-time debut with the Ferrari-powered Haas team.

‘That’s also an issue for Lewis Hamilton…’

Although Bearman missed out on a podium in his debut season, his P4 at the Mexican Grand Prix matched Haas’ best-ever result achieved by Romain Grosjean at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix.

As P4s go, Hamilton, in contrast, didn’t come near Ferrari’s best results with his best showing all season being a spate of P4s.

With 156 points on the board to Charles Leclerc’s 242, Hamilton was second in Ferrari’s teammate battle. Bearman won Haas’ intra-team battle by 41 points to 38.

That combined total saw the team leapfrogged Sauber for ninth in the Constructors’ Championship whereas Hamilton’s deficit to Leclerc potentially cost Ferrari third place to Red Bull.

F1 2025 teammate v teammate head-to-head scores

F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Hamilton’s form this season, as well as his downbeat interviews, led to speculation that 2025 could be it for the seven-time World Champion.

“At the moment, I’m only looking forward to the break,” he told media including PlanetF1.com after Abu Dhabi. “And just to disconnect or not speak to anyone. No one will be able to get hold of me this winter.”

But, he made it clear, he’ll be back for F1’s all-new regulations with smaller, lighter cars that run on 50 per cent battery power.

“I think that’s really what sports really about, right? It’s about continuously challenging us ourselves,” he said. “If we just did the same thing all the time, then it’d be easy.”

It has pushed the question of Hamilton’s continued participation in Formula 1, next year marking his 20th season, into F1 2026.

Although he is contracted to Ferrari for 2026 and reportedly has an option, solely in his control for 2027, it has been speculated that if next season doesn’t go to plan, he could call it quits.

Ferrari, though, already have a possible future replacement lined up in Haas’ Bearman, who is signed to the Scuderia’s junior programme.

Although the Briton made a few glaring mistakes this year, notably his red flag crash in the pit lane at Silverstone, five top ten results in the last seven grands prix put him a good light.

Another year with Haas should, theoretically, see Bearman progress as a driver, one who could put pressure on Ferrari to ease Hamilton out of the door even if he wants to stay for 2027.

“Bearman has a real basic speed, it’s insane and that’s also an issue for Lewis Hamilton. If he continues to make a fuss at Ferrari, he will be put on the road and Bearman will get into the car – that’s it,” Danner told sport.de.

“He is under contract with Ferrari and of course they speculate: If Hamilton throws in the towel and doesn’t feel like it anymore, then with Bearman they immediately have someone they can put in and it works.”

As for Bearman, he’s made it clear that racing in red is his dream.

“I was already highly motivated, and now that I’ve had a taste, I’m even more driven,” he said. “It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning and motivates me in life.

“I hope one day to achieve it.

“For now, my career is with Haas, and I’m really enjoying it. They are a great team, and I think we can achieve big things together, with the hope of earning a future in Formula 1.’

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