Ferrari planning for life after Lewis Hamilton with another top driver in sight. Ferrari is already planning for the post-Lewis Hamilton era and, surprisingly, the target may not be Max Verstappen.

Forget Verstappen, Ferrari considers another top driver for life after Hamilton

Ferrari is reportedly evaluating potential replacements for Lewis Hamilton in the future and, contrary to what many expected, the name is not Max Verstappen.

The passionate chants of the tifosi at Monza after Ferrari’s victory were interpreted by many observers as a possible signal for the future. Max Verstappen, who will be out of contract in 2027, could become a realistic target for the Scuderia if Lewis Hamilton were to say goodbye to Maranello and likely to Formula 1 altogether. For his part, the Dutch driver has not ruled out a move to Ferrari, softening some of the harsher comments he made about the Italian team in the past.

“Why not? But the right conditions would have to be there,” was the essence of Max Verstappen’s recent words. In short, Verstappen would never consider joining Ferrari just for marketing reasons. If he ever left Red Bull Racing, it would only be for a project capable of consistently fighting for victories and championships.

A new name emerges for Ferrari

In the meantime, another name has surfaced as a possible candidate for Ferrari in the post-Hamilton era. Speaking on the podcast Cortito y al Pie, Mundo Deportivo journalist Fabio Marchi revealed a behind-the-scenes detail from the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza. “In the paddock, I was speaking with an Italian journalist and I was told that Ferrari is carefully monitoring Oscar Piastri’s situation. If the Australian were to clash with McLaren, he would not hesitate to walk away from the team.”

Much will depend on how team principal Andrea Stella manages his two drivers in the final stages of this season. At Monza, some insiders and fans were already displeased with the decision to let Lando Norris regain position after he lost it due to issues during his pit stop. That choice sparked debate within the paddock about team priorities and balance between the two McLaren drivers.

If McLaren were to favor the British driver in the fight for the Drivers’ Championship, Oscar Piastri’s long-term future in Woking could become increasingly uncertain. And all the while, Ferrari is observing the situation from the background, ready to move if an opportunity presents itself.