Lewis Hamilton retirement timeline set with issue to become ‘talking point’ within months
EXCLUSIVE: Lewis Hamilton's F1 future is still under scrutiny, with discussions likely to increase later this season.
Lewis Hamilton’s F1 future and potential retirement could become a “talking point” within months, with discussions likely to intensify this July. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok claims that Hamilton’s future will come under the spotlight around the British Grand Prix in July as speculation over when the Ferrari star could call it quits continues to mount.
Hamilton is reeling from a disastrous debut season at the Scuderia, with the seven-time champion failing to reach the podium for the first time in his career. At 41 years of age, Hamilton’s future has continued to be a matter of debate despite the Ferrari star claiming he is not considering retirement anytime soon.
Speaking exclusively to Express Sport through Betway, Karun said: “I think this conversation becomes a talking point when we get to around the British Grand Prix. That's when we can start to have this conversation.”
However, Karun claims Hamilton’s decision is likely to hinge on whether or not he is competing at the front of the field. Ferrari has started strongly, with Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in contention throughout the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Reigning champion Lando Norris has even claimed that Ferrari, not Mercedes, had the best chassis in F1. Hamilton has backed Ferrari to compete with pacesetters Mercedes in 2026, claiming the gap was “not impossible” to close.
Karun added: “As long as he's competitive and on par with Charles, and if the car's competitive and they're fighting for victories, fighting for podiums, then why would he stop?
“If he's on par with Charles, who is one of the best out there, maybe Lewis can try and use his experience across the season to get ahead of his teammate.
“But why would he stop? I think as of today we can't answer that question. Everyone's asking, is this Lewis's final farewell tour? But we don't know.
“The reality is, if the car is good and fighting for a championship, why would he stop? You've got these same rules now for four years. So even if he doesn't win it this year, if the car is good enough and he's in contention, he might win it next year, or the year after.”
Ahead of the season, Hamilton reiterated his commitment to F1, admitting that he was re-set and refreshed and was “not going anywhere”.
