Lewis Hamilton at 41: Title chances in 2026, contract status and critical Ferrari decision | F1 | Sport
Lewis Hamilton, the most decorated driver in Formula One history with seven World Championships and 105 Grand Prix victories, has turned 41. However, the veteran Brit passes the milestone at a crossroads in his career after a miserable 2025 season that left a rare blot on his pristine legacy.
Despite a rough first year with Ferrari, though, Hamilton remains the sport’s biggest star, and he still intends to return to title contention, despite the rise to prominence of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and other stars from the new generation.
With the first season of the new technical regulations drawing closer, Express Sport takes a look at Lewis Hamilton’s reality at 41.
All or nothing in 2026
As team-mate Charles Leclerc declared, the new technical regulations are a matter of “now or never” for the current iteration of the Ferrari F1 team. Hamilton scored just 156 points in 24 races last term, ending the year without a podium finish to his name.
Alongside his advancing age, the Stevenage-born Brit’s struggles can be attributed to the ground-effect cars, which Hamilton confessed he wouldn’t miss at all. Could the new machinery of 2026 prove a catalyst for Hamilton’s return to prominence? Time will tell. Still, the new regulations offer Ferrari a unique chance to flip the tables and return to World Championship contention.
Hamilton’s Ferrari contract
Hamilton’s Ferrari contract remains somewhat shrouded in secrecy, although the 41-year-old is believed to be tied down until the end of the 2026 season with an option for an extra year, if certain conditions are met.
“I have a pretty long contract,” Hamilton revealed in November. “Normally, when you do a contract, it is the year before that you start to talk about it, so I am a little bit far from that point.”
However, the Brit’s dejected interviews throughout the 2025 campaign surfaced fears that the sport’s most decorated driver could walk away from Ferrari and F1 altogether before the end of his current deal.
Fortunately, Hamilton put fans at ease after a miserable weekend in Las Vegas, rejecting claims that he was considering quitting his Ferrari contract, despite the challenges of a season that produced little to write home about in the way of successes.
Critical decision made
Hamilton’s partnership with race engineer Riccardo Adami was placed into question after the 2025 season ended when team principal Fred Vasseur confessed that a change was possible over the winter. Communications between the duo were often scrutinised as the Brit was left frustrated by Ferrari’s transfer of information during sessions.
However, according to AutoRacer IT, Hamilton and Adami will continue to work together in 2026 after a private dinner away from the track. The seven-time world champion will work to make the relationship a successful one as he continues to adapt to life at Maranello.
