Lewis Hamilton’s challenging 2025 season has raised serious questions about whether the seven-time world champion can consistently perform at the level required by Ferrari in Formula 1. After a campaign where his teammate Charles Leclerc scored all seven of Ferrari’s podium finishes, Hamilton only managed to outqualify Leclerc in five sessions and finish ahead in three races throughout the year.
Experts note that if Lewis Hamilton had matched Charles Leclerc’s pace and results, Ferrari could have secured second place in the Constructors’ Championship. Instead, the Scuderia ended the season in fourth, underscoring a significant performance gap within the team. Despite this, the Briton’s historic achievements—104 Grand Prix wins and seven World Championships—still give Ferrari reason to believe he could return to winning ways once the car suits his driving style.
Internal doubts about Lewis Hamilton spread within Ferrari
Italian journalist Leo Turrini, writing for Quotidiano Nazionale, has reported that doubts about Lewis Hamilton have “multiplied” and “exploded” within Ferrari in recent months. According to sources close to Maranello, the uncertainty is mutual: while Hamilton joined Ferrari with the aim of helping end their long title drought, even Charles Leclerc struggled to mount a race-winning challenge with last year’s car.
Leo Turrini also highlights the growing discussion around Oliver Bearman, the 20-year-old Ferrari Academy graduate currently racing for Haas. This attention, he suggests, likely stems from internal Ferrari circles evaluating future driver options. Observers note that only Hamilton himself can determine whether his recent drop-off is a result of age-related decline, adapting to Ferrari’s ground-effect F1 cars, or simply an ongoing adjustment period.
Oliver Bearman positioned as Ferrari’s next potential star
Veteran F1 commentator Martin Brundle believes Ferrari must be closely monitoring Oliver Bearman for a future seat. The Ferrari junior, who earned 41 points in his rookie season with Haas and achieved three top-six finishes, also consistently outperformed experienced teammate Esteban Ocon. Martin Brundle has indicated that Ferrari could move quickly to promote Ollie Bearman if the seven-time F1 world champion continues to struggle, drawing parallels to how Charles Leclerc was elevated from Sauber after just one season in Formula 2.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has expressed confidence that Charles Leclerc remains Ferrari’s cornerstone, while also predicting that Oliver Bearman has the potential to become Ferrari’s next world champion. If the Briton fails to rediscover his form in 2026, Ollie Bearman could be positioned as the natural successor, making speculation about his promotion increasingly difficult to ignore.
For now, the situation highlights the delicate balance Ferrari faces: managing the legacy and expectations of Lewis Hamilton while preparing to nurture the next generation of drivers from their academy. As 2026 unfolds, all eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton’s performance and whether the Scuderia decides to finally accelerate Bearman’s path to a top-tier seat.
