Ferrari could ask Lewis Hamilton to retire if Max Verstappen is on the market, claims former driver

Former F1 driver Marc Surer has cast doubt on Lewis Hamilton's future at Ferrari and F1 at large. He stated that if the Brit fails to succeed, Ferrari will likely urge him to retire, especially if Max Verstappen ends up in the drivers market.

Hamilton, the seven-time F1 world champion, is under scrutiny after his disappointing start to the 2025 season with Scuderia Ferrari. In five opening races, he has collected 31 points without a podium in any Grand Prix.

While the Brit has signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari, speculations over his future and possible retirement have made headlines. According to former F1 driver Marc Surer, even if Lewis Hamilton refuses to retire, Ferrari could ask him to take the plunge, especially if Max Verstappen is available on the market.

Talking to F1-Insider, Surer said:

"Whether Hamilton decides to retire is one thing, but Ferrari also bears responsibility. At some point, merchandising sales will no longer matter because the success is lacking. Then Ferrari will ask Lewis if he doesn't want to retire, especially because they also know in Maranello that a Max Verstappen might be on the market."

Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, is contracted with Red Bull until 2028. However, he could reportedly seek an early exit by activating performance clauses that allegedly exist in his deal. Red Bull hasn't been performing at its true potential since the second half of the 2024 season, and the downfall has triggered Verstappen's exit rumors.

Meanwhile, for the ongoing season, Hamilton has the support of Ferrari. Team principal Fred Vasseur mentioned in Jeddah that he 2000 percent backs the British driver to resolve the issues and bounce back stronger, as a large part of the season is yet to unfold.

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Ferrari board is likely under pressure due to Lewis Hamilton, claims an F1 pundit

Lewis Hamilton at F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia - Qualifying - Source: Getty

Lewis Hamilton's debut season with Ferrari isn't going as planned, as the seven-time world champion is struggling to adapt to the new car, SF-25. However, if the Brit fails to bounce back, the Ferrari board could likely exert pressure. F1 pundit Mark Hughes explained the scenario and said,

"He is more than aware of how his underperformance is generating mounting pressure from Ferrari management onto the team, from within the team itself, and from F1 towards the team. A driver with the enormous profile of Hamilton and a team with the immense profile of Ferrari amplify that pressure tenfold, perhaps more than it would in any other driver/team combination."

Lewis Hamilton reportedly signed a lucrative multi-year contract with Ferrari, with chairman John Elkann likely involved personally. Hence, both the team and the board could face scrutiny if the 40-year-old fails to improve for the remainder of the 2025 season.