Lewis Hamilton backed to retire from F1 on one very clear Ferrari condition

Six-time Grand Prix winner Riccardo Patrese believes that Lewis Hamilton could retire from the sport at the end of the 2026 season, should Ferrari fail to provide him with a car capable of fighting for an eighth Drivers' Championship title. Hamilton has been chasing an eighth crown, which would move him clear of Michael Schumacher at the top of the record books, since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix swung the way of Max Verstappen in controversial circumstances.

A winter move to Ferrari failed to produce the desired performance increase after a sluggish end to life with Mercedes, and after challenging weekends in Belgium, Hungary and the Netherlands, questions are being raised about the 40-year-old's long-term future in the Formula One paddock.

According to Patrese, there is no danger of the seven-time world champion making an immediate call on retirement, but it is on the table in 2026. Hamilton's contract runs until the end of next season, which is also the start of the new technical regulations.

Patrese told Adventure Gamers: "If it were me and I had wanted to go to Ferrari like Lewis to get maybe my eighth championship, I would fight even harder, and I say, 'S***, now I have to try harder myself in driving and also to work to put this thing right.'

"As a seven-time world champion and all the years he has been in F1, he must have this attitude. He has to set an example. He is not a person who gives up easily. So, yes, this year for sure he will keep going.

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"But if next year we come back, with the new regulations and he is not happy with the car and doesn't believe they can produce a winning car, then maybe he can say, 'Okay, I have had enough. I am old, I have won everything. Time to stop.' I don't think that will happen at the end of this year. But next year, yes, it could."

Hamilton heads into his first-ever Italian Grand Prix in an interesting spot after a mixed experience in Zandvoort. The Brit arrived in the Netherlands with a fresh approach to race weekends, and this looked to be bearing fruit after a reasonable run of free practice sessions and a closely-matched qualifying compared to team-mate Charles Leclerc.

However, Hamilton crashed on lap 22 in the Grand Prix after an uncharacteristic mistake. He heads into Ferrari's biggest race of the season still searching for his first podium with the team.