Ferrari ‘eyeing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’ as surprise Lewis Hamilton plan emerges | F1 | Sport

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is reportedly keeping an eye on the driver situation at McLaren to see whether Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri could be available for the 2027 campaign. Zak Brown’s talented duo are viewed as potential successors to Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc.

Both Hamilton and Leclerc’s futures are under the microscope heading into the first season of the new technical regulations in 2026, but for contrasting reasons. For the Brit, retirement has been the word on many pundits’ lips, although it is believed that he has contract levers that could see him stay in Maranello into 2027.

Leclerc, by contrast, is just entering his prime and is tied down to a long-term contract. However, the Monegasque star has been linked with a switch to Mercedes, and ominously described the 2026 season as “now or never” for his Ferrari squad.

According to Autosport Web Japan, Vasseur is keeping a close eye on the situation at McLaren. Both Norris and Piastri are committed to long-term deals, but the Australian’s position could change in 2026 after missing out on the 2025 Drivers’ Championship title to his team-mate.

The report also lists Oliver Bearman as an option, while Vasseur is keen on Rafael Camara, who will attempt to follow in the footsteps of recent back-to-back F3 and F2 champions Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli when he takes to the track with Invicta Racing.

Bearman has marked himself out as a star of the future during his first full year in F1. The Essex-born racer scored points on debut with Ferrari in Jeddah in 2024, and built on his substitute appearances with a strong maiden campaign with Haas, finishing 13th in the standings and scoring his team’s best-ever result with a P4 finish in Mexico City.

The 20-year-old’s contract expires at the end of 2026, and should his career continue on the current trajectory, Vasseur will have a selection dilemma on his hands in 12 months’ time. For his part, Bearman believes he is ready for the call-up.

“Well, you know, I’m in F1, and you have to back yourself,” he said last year. “So yes, I believe I’m ready, but I have to continue to prove that,” said Bearman of a potential Ferrari promotion. It’s not that I had five or six good races that suddenly everything changes.

“But I think it’s also easy to forget that in the middle of the season, I had a run of four or five eleventh places in a row. So that was also consistent – just not quite good enough. And we’ve gained a bit of car performance since then.

“So that 11th place turns into a 10th, a ninth, an eighth, and that’s better received by everyone. So yeah, I’ve definitely improved, particularly since the summer break. I found a really good rhythm and momentum, and of course, I would say that I’m ready.”