Is Lewis Hamilton retiring in 2025? A disturbing statement reveals a possible early departure.

Is the end of an era approaching? Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton could be considering retiring from Formula 1 at the end of the 2025 season if his situation at Ferrari doesn’t improve soon. This is the suggestion of Ralf Schumacher , former F1 driver and brother of the legendary Michael Schumacher, who has issued a warning that has set off alarm bells in the paddock.

Since leaving Mercedes in 2024 to join Ferrari, Hamilton has failed to live up to the huge expectations his move generated. Although he took an early win in the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix , the euphoria was short-lived: he was disqualified from the main race the following day.

With five races underway in the 2025 season, Hamilton has yet to finish higher than fifth. At the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he finished seventh , nearly 31 seconds behind his teammate Charles Leclerc , who finished third on the podium.

Schumacher: “He’s running out of motivation”

Speaking to Sky Germany’s Backstage Pit Lane podcast , Ralf Schumacher was blunt:

“He just can’t handle this car. You can tell he’s in a bad way. If you constantly feel slower, you lose all motivation. I’ve experienced it myself: there comes a point where it just doesn’t make sense anymore.”

The former driver even imagines Hamilton seriously considering early retirement:

“One day you wake up and think, ‘Why am I doing this to myself? I’m not having fun anymore, I can’t do this anymore. I’m hindering the team. I’m 40 years old, I’m a multimillionaire… I don’t need to do this anymore.’”

Is the Ferrari-Hamilton project falling apart?

Hamilton’s signing for Ferrari was hailed as a historic partnership, but the results haven’t lived up to expectations. According to Schumacher, the gap between Hamilton and Leclerc is “much greater than expected,” which could be undermining the Briton’s morale.

“China showed that if the car and the track are right for him, he can perform. But right now, he’s a long way behind Charles. I didn’t think it would be so extreme.”

Although his contract with Ferrari is believed to run until the end of 2026, his retirement at the end of the 2025 season doesn’t seem like a far-fetched idea if the situation doesn’t improve.

Vasseur: “I’m 2,000% behind him”

In the face of criticism, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has come out in firm support of Hamilton:

“I’m 2,000 percent behind him. We’ll start looking for solutions tomorrow. I’m not too worried.”

Vasseur defends Hamilton’s potential, pointing to recent strong performances in China, Bahrain, and the opening sessions in Saudi Arabia:

“The car’s potential is there. The problem is the balance and how it’s managing the tires. It’s a negative area, but we’ll work on it.”

He also lashed out at those who exaggerate the Briton’s decline in form:

“This isn’t a drama. We’ve been in five races. We’re not champions when we win a race, nor are we finished when we fall behind. This is pure competition.”

Verstappen’s shadow and the pressure of results

Vasseur compared Hamilton’s situation to that of Max Verstappen , noting that even the Red Bull driver has had his ups and downs in the opening weeks of the championship:

“Look at Max: he won in Japan, but in Bahrain he finished 30 seconds behind Piastri. The competition is very close, with 10 cars within a few tenths of a second of each other. You have to stay calm.”

At 40 years old, with multiple records and a considerable fortune, Hamilton has nothing to prove. But it’s also true that his hunger to compete has always been his greatest driving force . If this inner fire begins to fade, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him say goodbye sooner than expected.

For now, time will tell whether this phase is just a temporary blip or the beginning of the end. What is clear is that the pressure at Ferrari is at its highest , and any misstep could accelerate decisions that change the course of modern Formula 1.