Lewis Hamilton’s Rumored Contract Clause Could Leave Ferrari Powerless

A rumored contract clause in Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari deal might leave Maranello with no control over the Briton's future.

Lewis Hamilton’s Rumored Contract Clause Could Leave Ferrari Powerless

Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur (via Reuters)

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Lewis Hamilton joined Scuderia Ferrari earlier this year as one of the biggest driver moves in F1 history. Unfortunately, this historic pairing has failed to even come close to expectations, with not a single podium under the belt. While Hamilton has indicated that the Italian team might need to replace him in the future, a rumored contract clause has revealed that the carmaker might not even have the power to make such a decision.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Lewis Hamilton‘s current deal with Ferrari extends till the end of 2026. When the move was announced in early 2024, Maranello had called it a ‘multi-year agreement.’ It seems that there is an option to extend the contract for another year, till the end of the 2027 season. However, as per the report, the power for a one-year extension is solely in the ‘hands’ of Hamilton. So much so, Ferrari might not have any real say over this decision.

The reason behind such a controversial clause is believed to be Lewis Hamilton’s massive public image. The British driver is bringing millions in sponsorship and commercial revenue to Ferrari by simply being a part of the team. This gives the 40-year-old immense leverage when it comes to negotiations. The report claims that Ferrari would be willing to retain Hamilton ‘no matter what happens.’

On paper, such a report makes it seem like Lewis Hamilton is entirely in control at Maranello. However, the seven-time world champion is struggling big time this season. He has failed to even come close to fighting for podiums, let alone a race win. Hamilton has not tried to even hide his frustrations, going as far as calling himself useless. Additionally, the Briton has even hinted that the team would be better off without him.

Lewis Hamilton ‘underestimated’ Charles Leclerc at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton partnered up with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. The British driver hoped to outperform his new teammate from the get-go. Though, that has been far from the case. Leclerc has been far more consistent than the seven-time world champion and been the leading Ferrari at almost every race.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Getty)
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Getty)

F1 insider Leo Turrini pinpointed the reason behind the vast difference in performance. The Italian insisted that Lewis Hamilton made the mistake of underestimating the Monegasque driver. Hamilton might’ve believed the paddock chatter that Leclerc was not that better than his previous teammate Carlos Sainz. This has backfired heavily on Hamilton who is now facing trouble matching his teammate in a poor car. Turrini asserted that now it’s up to the F1 champion to try and get out of this massive hole.

In all honesty, Lewis underestimated Charles. He bought into the narrative that Charles wasn’t better than Sainz and all that talk. When he realized his mistake, coinciding with having a rather modest car, his mindset took a hit. But it’s up to him now to climb out of that hole.

Leo Turrini wrote on Profondo Rosso

Certainly, Lewis Hamilton is perhaps in one of the worst situations of his career. Everything seems to be going wrong for the seven-time world champion and time is not on his side. The second half of the season will be critical for the Briton if he wants to redeem himself in Formula 1. Critics are only going to make more noise if the 40-year-old fails to improve. Thus, Hamilton desperately needs to bounce back.

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