- Hamilton declares he is planning five more years in Formula 1, not an exit.
- Ralf Schumacher wants Hamilton and Alonso out; Bearman his preferred replacement.
- Jenson Button backs Hamilton to continue despite a difficult debut season at Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton has told his critics he has no plans to retire from F1 anytime soon. The 41-year-old Ferrari driver made the declaration ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
He said he is mapping out the next five years of his racing career, not planning an exit.
The pressure to retire, and where it’s coming from
Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has been the loudest voice calling for Hamilton to step aside.
Speaking on the Sky Germany F1 podcast Backstage Boxengasse, Schumacher said Hamilton had improved in 2026 but argued he would not be able to compete with Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc over a full season.
Schumacher made the same case for Fernando Alonso, saying both drivers had served the sport well but should now free up their seats for younger talent.
The German named British driver Oliver Bearman as his preferred replacement for Hamilton at Ferrari. He believes Bearman could push Leclerc on pace.
The criticism did not stop there: reports from Italy, later picked up by Dutch media, suggested Hamilton could announce his retirement at Silverstone later this year.
Hamilton fires back and makes his contract clear
Hamilton did not let those reports pass without a response. “There are a lot of people that are trying to retire me,” he said in the driver’s press conference on Thursday ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.
He then made his position plain: “That’s not even on my thoughts.”
He also addressed the ambiguity around his Ferrari contract. “I’m still in contract, so everything’s 100 per cent clear to me,” he confirmed.
Hamilton signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari and is reported to hold an option for the 2027 season, one only he can activate. “I’m already thinking of what will be next and planning for the next five years. I still plan to be here for some time,” he said.
He closed his remarks with a line that is likely to follow him through the rest of the season.
“I still love what I do with all my heart, and I’m going to be here for quite some time, so get used to it,” Hamilton said.
A difficult road to Montreal, but signs of life at Ferrari
The retirement conversation did not come from nowhere. Hamilton’s first year at Ferrari in 2025 was difficult. He described his own performances as “useless” at one stage and even raised the idea of the team replacing him.
He went through the entire campaign without a single podium, something that had never happened before in his career.
This season has looked different. Hamilton finished third at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, his first podium in Ferrari red. The rounds in Japan and Miami were harder, but his overall form has been more encouraging.
He enters Montreal fifth in the Drivers’ Championship with 51 points, level with reigning world champion Lando Norris of McLaren.
His preparation for Canada has also taken an unconventional turn. After two tough races, Hamilton chose to step away from the simulator in the build-up to Montreal. Ferrari supported the decision as the team works to get the most from its current car.
Former rivals and team-mates offer their verdict
Not everyone in the paddock wants Hamilton gone. Former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button offered a clear defence of the seven-time world champion.
“Lewis this year has shown he has still got the speed,” Button told the Press Association. “I have no idea if he will carry on beyond this season, but I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
Button also gave context to Hamilton’s difficult first year at Ferrari. He noted that Hamilton had spent years inside a team that knew him well, and that moving to an Italian outfit presented an entirely different set of challenges, including the language barrier.
Hamilton, for his part, says he is still learning. “I’m always trying to learn how I can be a better colleague, a better team-mate to the people around me,” he said.
He framed his motivation not as chasing records but as personal growth. “If you’re progressing, you’re succeeding,” he said.
With Grands Prix at Canada, Monaco and his home race at Silverstone all coming up, Hamilton has made his intentions clear. He plans to answer his doubters on track, not in a retirement announcement.
