Lewis Hamilton has been told “it’s time” to step aside and leave Formula 1. His former team-mate and fellow racing veteran Fernando Alonso also received the same piece of advice from Ralf Schumacher, who has bluntly declared his belief that their seats on the grid would be better off in the hands of someone from a newer generation.
Hamilton and Alonso have won nine world championships and more than 100 races between them, with the Brit accounting for most of that by himself. But he is now 41, while the Spaniard will turn 45 in July and is in the final year of his current contract.
Regardless, Alonso has already hinted in recent weeks that he is considering extending his F1 career beyond the current campaign, while it is understood Hamilton has a contract in place for 2027 should he wish to continue himself. But things on track aren’t great for either of them right now, which could play a major role in their respective decisions.
Despite being refreshed over the winter following a dismal debut campaign with Ferrari, Hamilton has largely been off the pace set by team-mate Charles Leclerc, the sole exception being in China where he finally secured his first podium with the Scuderia. As for Alonso, things can’t get much worse with Aston Martin at the back of the grid with underpowered and unreliable Honda engines.
And Schumacher, a six-time Grand Prix winner during his own F1 career, thinks it’s time for both to cut their losses. He told Sky Germany’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast: “Hamilton is in a better position again this year but, over the course of the season, he won’t stand a chance against Leclerc.
“It’s time – and I have to say the same about Fernando Alonso. Hamilton and Alonso have had a wonderful time in Formula 1. But now it’s time for both of them to step out of their cockpits at the end of the year and give young people a chance.”
There is nothing murky about the line of succession at Ferrari, who have been planning their next steps in the driver market for some time. They already have Oliver Bearman on their books, having signed the Brit to their driver academy when he was a teenager. He celebrated his 21st birthday last week and has caught the eye so far in his second full F1 season with customer team Haas.
Bearman is the clear front-runner to get the call if and when Hamilton does call it a day, and Schumacher thinks that would be a “deserved” promotion for a young man he thinks could even rival Leclerc. The German added: “If he gets the chance, he’ll even pose a challenge to Charles Leclerc. I’m pretty sure of that – I’d say he’s actually better.”