Lewis Hamilton ‘to Walk Away’ From Ferrari if Controversial Appointment Is Made
Lewis Hamilton could leave Ferrari and potentially retire should they go ahead with a controversial decision ahead of the 2026 season.
When seven-time champion Hamilton joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, many expected that he could go on to claim a record-setting eighth Drivers Championship before calling time on his storied career.
Unfortunately for the Brit, the 2025 season was disastrous as he failed to make it onto the podium for any of the 24 races for the first time in his Formula One career.
Towards the end of the season, it was heavily reported that both Ferrari and Hamilton were considering ending their partnership, with the 40-year-old said to be considering retirement, despite having one more year left on his current deal.
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As it stands, it appears that Hamilton will remain at Ferrari for the 2026 season, but it's now been reported that this could suddenly change if the team make a controversial appointment that they have been linked with.
After Ferrari made the decision to abandon work on their 2025 car to focus on this year's car back in April, the pressure on them to perform in 2026 is as high as ever.
Because of this, questions have recently been raised about team principal Fred Vasseur given Ferrari's form under his leadership.
Should Ferrari decide to part ways with the Frenchman, reports have linked them with a move for former Red Bull boss Christian Horner.
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Since Horner's sudden departure from Red Bull in in September 2025, after being sacked in July, the Brit has been heavily linked with a return to Formula One.
However, if Horner is appointed at Ferrari, a report from The Daily Mail claims that Hamilton would ‘likely’ decide to ‘walk out’ alongside Vasseur.
Red Bull's fierce rivalry with Mercedes and Hamilton during the final years of the British driver's time there reportedly has left the relationship with Horner irreparable.
In particular, the infamous battle between Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the title in 2021 saw tempers reach a boiling point and it's not believed that Horner and Hamilton have ever attempted to make up since the feud.
Therefore, for Hamilton, Ferrari's potential decision to appoint Horner knowing how he felt about the ex-Red Bull team principal would be a clear sign that they did not hold Hamilton in their long-term plans and would likely be enough for him to leave F1.
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Christian Horner, Formula 1
Ben McCrum