Today at 10:30
Lewis Hamilton is reportedly in complete control of his Ferrari
future, with a contract clause in the Briton's deal having been
discovered. According to F1-Insider , Italian newspaper Gazzetta
dello Sport has discovered that Hamilton's additional third year in
his contract is up to the 40-year-old, not Ferrari. The seven-time
world champion is believed to have a deal that runs until the end
of 2026, with an option for a third year. That third year option
is reported by Gazzetta dello Sport as being entirely up to the
driver, rather than the Maranello-based outfit. It means that
Ferrari has little control over its driver pairing for the
short-term future, due to Hamilton having the power over whether he
races for the Italian squad in 2027. The reason for this style of
deal is reportedly due to the commercial benefits that Hamilton
brings to Ferrari, with the 105-time race winner increasing global
attention for the manufacturer. The Italian publication is
reported to have said 'Ferrari will go with him no matter what'.
Hamilton has endured a challenging start to life with the outfit,
which hit a new low in Hungary. After being eliminated in Q2 at
his beloved Hungaroring, Hamilton described himself as "useless"
and insisted that Ferrari needed to sign a new driver. He finds
himself without a podium from the opening 14 rounds, whilst
team-mate Charles Leclerc has secured five rostrums already this
year.
