Briton has lost self-confidence, Steiner questions Hamilton’s Ferrari fortunes, and yes retirement is rumoured to be coming soon – Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner believes the 2026 season could be the decisive year for Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career. Speaking to Web.de, Steiner suggested the seven-time world champion’s future in the sport may hinge on whether he can mount a serious challenge at the top once the new regulations arrive.
Hamilton, who recently described himself as “useless,” drew a firm response from Steiner: “He’s not useless, but at the moment he’s not delivering what was expected of him. He’s dissatisfied with himself,” the Italian explained.
The remarks came amid a difficult debut season at Ferrari, where Hamilton’s results have not matched the enormous public expectations following his high-profile move from Mercedes. Steiner acknowledged that hype was inevitable when Hamilton’s switch to Maranello was announced, but insists the driver’s own hopes also played a part.
“When reality doesn’t live up to expectations, you lose confidence in yourself,” he said. In 2024, Hamilton has consistently found himself second-best to team-mate Charles Leclerc, who holds a 10–4 advantage in qualifying and an 11–2 lead in race results.
Steiner leaves door open for early retirement
Steiner believes that while a mid-season reset could revive Hamilton’s form, the opposite scenario is also possible. “Maybe he’ll come back more relaxed after the break and his performance will improve. But maybe not, and then I could well imagine him saying at the end of the year: ‘That’s it. I’m not putting myself through this for another year.’”
The former Haas chief pointed out that Hamilton, unlike many of his peers, does not depend on Formula 1 as a personal platform. “He has many interests outside of Formula 1, he’s a brand in his own right. Many drivers need F1 as a platform. Lewis doesn’t need that anymore. And that’s exactly what makes it easier for him to draw a line under it.”
If Hamilton opts to continue beyond 2025, Steiner expects he will at least want to see the effect of the new regulations in 2026 before making a final decision. But if those changes fail to deliver a competitive package, the Italian suspects the Briton will walk away.
F1 plays down impending “crisis”
A move that still made sense, says Steiner
Despite the underwhelming results so far, Steiner does not consider Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari a mistake. “The fact is that even before his move to Ferrari, Hamilton was no longer able to consistently match the performances of his world championship years,” he observed. At Mercedes between 2022 and 2024, Hamilton finished behind George Russell twice in three seasons and managed only two race victories in that period.
For Steiner, the decision to join Ferrari was “courageous” and “a good one,” even if the sporting return is currently absent. “Sometimes you have to take risks,” he added, dismissing the notion that the Ferrari’s handling quirks can fully explain the performance gap.
“The car always plays a role. But we’re in Formula 1, and a top driver has to be able to handle what he’s given,” he said. Leclerc has already secured five podiums this season in the SF-25, while Hamilton remains without a top-three finish more than halfway through the campaign.
TJ13 Ferrari reality check
And so, the Judge observes, the great red romance between Hamilton and Ferrari has so far resembled a celebrity marriage in which the lavish wedding was front-page news, only for the honeymoon photos to reveal that one partner spent most of the trip reading the menu and looking slightly disappointed.
The tifosi had pictured their new British hero sweeping onto the podium draped in Italian glory. Instead, they have watched him glance at Leclerc’s champagne celebrations from the garage, possibly wondering if the catering tent is still open.
Public expectation, as Steiner points out, can be an unforgiving beast. When Hamilton’s signature was announced, Ferrari’s PR department could have sold souvenir air fresheners with his face on them and people would have queued. Now, with a third of the season left, even the most optimistic Ferrari fan is finding that the ‘new era’ tastes suspiciously like last year’s pasta – just with more Union Jack garnish.
Briatore under fire with calls for Horner style Alpine leadership
Confidence gone
For Hamilton, the psychological battle may be as complex as the engineering challenge. Ferrari’s SF-25 is not a disaster by any stretch – Leclerc has proven it can run near the front – but the car is demanding, twitchy and merciless when the driver is not entirely in tune. In F1, confidence can be worth tenths per lap, and right now Hamilton seems to be leaving those tenths in the garage.
Steiner’s suggestion that Hamilton could simply walk away is not as far-fetched as it might have sounded in his Mercedes glory days. The Briton has fashion shows to host, causes to champion, and music projects that will never, ever be mistaken for race telemetry.
He is one of the very few drivers in the sport who could disappear tomorrow and remain a global celebrity without lifting another trophy. But will he pull the cord tomorrow?
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Opinion: 2026 is judgement day
The Judge suspects that Hamilton’s decision will ultimately rest on whether Ferrari can give him a car in 2026 that not only challenges at the sharp end, but also feels like a tool he can wield with confidence. If that package never materialises, the thought of spending weekends circulating for fifth place might be too much for a man who has spent most of his career accustomed to fighting for first.
For now, the jury watches with interest. Can Hamilton’s Ferrari chapter be salvaged into something memorable, or will it remain a curious footnote in an otherwise glittering career? And perhaps the bigger question – if he does decide “That’s it,” will anyone be surprised?
So, jury, has the Hamilton–Ferrari dream already burned out before the candles on the cake have even melted, or is there still time for a great red redemption arc?
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Lewis Hamilton’s first Formula One season at Ferrari has been anything but straight forward despite a positive early start to his first campaign for the Scuderia. In an all new car with a completely different type of F1 Powertrain, at the season opener Hamilton qualified right behind his team mate, a respectable two tenths of a second slower than Charles Leclerc.
In the Grand Prix, both Ferrari cars struggled for pace, with Leclerc finishing the race in P8 and Hamilton two places further back. Come round two in China, and Ferrari hit the ground running right off the transporter. Hamilton claimed Sprint pole on Friday afternoon going on to take the victory the next morning.
Two races in, one win for Hamilton, what could be better? Yet come Sunday’s Shanghai Grand Prix, Ferrari were left with egg on their face as both cars were disqualified after the chequered flag. Leclerc’s car was found to be a kilo underweight, but for Hamilton the ride height he’d chosen was declared ‘illegal’ given the plank wear under the floor was more than 9mm…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
