Lewis Hamilton fulfilled a lifelong childhood ambition when he left Mercedes to join the Maranello team. Yet what was supposed to be the most exciting chapter of his Formula 1 career has turned into something closer to a nightmare in the 2025 campaign.
Formula 1 commentator Alex Jacques, in an exclusive discussion with F1 Oversteer, reflected on Hamilton’s struggles in Maranello. The seven-time world champion has been unable to master the handling of the SF-25, consistently finding it difficult to strike the right balance with the car. Adapting to life at Ferrari has also proven more complicated than expected. While his teammate Charles Leclerc has already collected five podium finishes this year, Hamilton has yet to stand on the rostrum for Ferrari.
The British driver appeared to hit rock bottom at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he was eliminated in Q2 and could manage only a disappointing twelfth-place finish on race day. Frustrated by another poor weekend, Hamilton even hinted that Ferrari might be better off replacing him, a statement that underlined how badly he feels his campaign has gone. The team, while not dismissing his words, has given no public indication of preparing to end the partnership. Nevertheless, speculation is mounting that Ferrari already has a successor in mind should the 40-year-old choose to walk away.
According to Jacques, the man in pole position to inherit Hamilton’s seat is Oliver Bearman.
The Haas driver represents the most recent talent to graduate from the Ferrari Driver Academy and establish himself in Formula 1. Bearman made a strong impression during his substitute outings in 2024 with both Ferrari and Haas, enough to secure a full-time drive alongside Esteban Ocon at Haas for the 2025 season. Although his current points tally stands at only eight, his performance level has often been stronger than the results suggest. Before Hungary, he endured four consecutive eleventh-place finishes, narrowly missing out on further points.
Jacques suggested that Bearman is well placed for a Ferrari future, pointing to the fact that he has already taken up residence in Maranello. He explained that Ferrari’s decision to hand Bearman his Formula 1 debut highlighted how highly they regard his potential, especially with team principal Frédéric Vasseur committed to a long-term contract. Jacques added that Ollie Bearman had demonstrated consistent speed throughout his career, despite enduring a difficult second season in Formula 2 after an impressive rookie campaign. Performances in Haas FP1 sessions, Jacques argued, had already shown enough promise to justify giving him opportunities at the highest level.
The commentator also reflected on Bearman’s frustration with his results, noting that while he has scored in a Sprint Race, he has not managed a points finish in a Grand Prix since Bahrain. This long sequence without reward, especially after Haas introduced an update that the drivers believed was worth significant lap time, has left him visibly downbeat. Ferrari, Jacques suggested, will assess his progress at the end of the season. They will be looking not only for signs of raw speed, such as regular Q3 appearances, but also for the ability to close out races strongly and deliver results over an entire campaign.
Despite the setbacks, Ferrari has had Bearman earmarked as a driver for the future for quite some time, and the young Briton remains central to their long-term planning.
However, questions remain about when Lewis Hamilton will decide to draw the curtain on his extraordinary Formula 1 career. Bearman may be regarded as a strong candidate for the future, but he is still far from the finished article. Former racer Jeroen Bleekemolen has already observed that the rookie has made avoidable errors in his debut season, describing them as lapses that a more experienced driver would have avoided.
Replacing a seven-time world champion is a daunting task for any driver, particularly one still at the start of his journey. Yet with proper guidance, patience, and development, Ollie Bearman could eventually make a serious mark at Ferrari. For now, though, the Scuderia will be hoping that Hamilton can turn around his form. His arrival during the winter break was met with immense anticipation, but the reality has been far more difficult than many expected.
The contract situation adds further intrigue. Hamilton is officially tied to Ferrari until the end of the 2026 season, with an option for a third year that remains entirely within his control. While that gives him the possibility of extending his stay until 2027, some British journalists have already speculated that Hamilton might decide to cut his Ferrari adventure short. They argue that after two deeply frustrating campaigns, he could walk away from the sport entirely as early as the end of this year.
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