Insiders at Ferrari have reportedly already picked out their ideal replacement for Lewis Hamilton following his lacklustre start this season.
After a four-week summer break, Formula One returns this weekend for the Dutch Grand Prix at the iconic Circuit Zandvoort.
With over half of the 2025 season now behind us, the first race post-break offers some drivers a much needed fresh start and a chance to kick start their season in the latter half.
There is perhaps nobody else on the grid that this applies to more than seven-time champion Hamilton, who joined Ferrari from Mercedes at the beginning of the season.
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However, if things continue as they have been so far, then it's possible that Ferrari could replace the 40-year-old in 2026, and one report claims that some insiders have already picked his successor.
After 14 Grand Prix weekends, Hamilton is yet to finish on the podium in any of the main races, with his only moment to remember being his win in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race back in March.
As it stands, the Brit is sixth in the driver standings and 42 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc, leading to some guessing that Hamilton could leave at the end of the year.
But according to journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm, this is not the feeling inside Ferrari, despite them earmarking a potential replacement.
Speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, Mitchell-Malm revealed “There’s been no suggestion at all, certainly from those I’ve spoken to, senior people at Ferrari, both on the record and off the record and don’t think there is any expectation other than continuing with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton."
However, the journalist revealed that, should Hamilton be sacked or decide to retire, then there are several people within Ferrari who would be eager to see Carlos Sainz return to the team.
He added: "I think Sainz would actually be more welcome back at Ferrari than maybe some people think, because I know that there is this kind of division amongst the fan bases and there is this belief that Sainz and his entourage were toxic and he’s left on bad terms and all of this.
“But I’ve literally seen both Carlos and people around him in his camp walk various people in and around Ferrari hospitality and the garage and stuff like that. And he’s incredibly highly thought of within that organisation.
“So I think you’d be welcome back there. I think there will be plenty of people who, and this is not a comment relating to Hamilton’s performance, there are a lot of people there who would have been absolutely fine with Sainz continuing and wouldn’t have thought it was worth replacing him because he was doing a very, very good job there.
“But, I just don’t see it happening unless your prediction for an unlikely thing to happen comes true, and Lewis does walk away."
However, it isn't only Sainz that could replace Hamilton, as Mitchell-Malm also named fellow Brit Oliver Bearman as a potential option, saying: “Then I think Sainz would be a fairly logical person.
"But I think in that instance, Ferrari might just take a punt on promoting Ollie Bearman.”
Topics: Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Motorsport
Ben McCrum