Ferrari have six candidates to replace Lewis Hamilton after retirement fears surface

Lewis Hamilton's worrying interviews at the Hungarian Grand Prix sparked fears about his future with Ferrari and in Formula One, both in the short and long terms. With the legendary Brit's contract running through until the end of the 2026 plan, Fred Vasseur will be keen to get a succession plan in place.

With Hamilton's future in F1 becoming increasingly uncertain, Express Sport assesses the potential replacements, both likely and wildcard in nature.

The obvious candidates

With Charles Leclerc tied down long-term and intensely committed to the Ferrari project, Vasseur can breathe easy regarding one half of the Scuderia's garage. On the other side, there is much more uncertainty.

What is clear, though, is that Oliver Bearman is the standout candidate to succeed Hamilton at the moment. The 20-year-old Brit is a long-time member of the Ferrari driver academy and has already delivered in the famous red overalls, scoring a P7 finish on debut in Jeddah after replacing Carlos Sainz on late notice in 2024.

He is driving with Haas in 2025, and while the standings don't look too flattering for the Brit, he has finished 11th four times, costing him several top-10 finishes. His pace is unquestionable, and when he cuts out the expected rookie errors, Bearman will be an extremely enticing prospect for Vasseur to consider.

As suggested by Bernie Ecclestone, Gabriel Bortoleto is also a compelling prospect. The Brazilian scored points in three of the final four Grands Prix before the summer break for Sauber and is a back-to-back Formula Three and Formula Two champion.

Then there is the safe option. Carlos Sainz made sure not to burn any bridges on his way out after being dropped for Hamilton, and his four wins for the Scuderia have aged well in the context of his replacement's struggles. While Williams would be loath to see him go, the experienced Spaniard would jump at the chance to reunite with Vasseur.

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The wildcard options

Vasseur and Ferrari could get creative when the time comes to replace Hamilton. Depending on the time frame, Rafael Camara could even enter the conversation. The 20-year-old has wrapped up the F3 title with a round to spare in 2025 after punching in four feature race victories, and a similarly rapid rise through F2 is not out of the question.

Such a path to the top would emulate Kimi Antonelli, who will no doubt be of interest to Vasseur. The Italian prospect slipped through the Scuderia's fingers as a junior, and he now resides in Mercedes' F1 operation. Luring him away from the Silver Arrows would be extremely tough, but the prospect of a homegrown hero representing the Prancing Horse would undoubtedly get the Tifosi on their feet.

Perhaps the most exciting outcome, though, would be a move for George Russell. If Toto Wolff is unwilling to give the Brit a long-term contract in the hopes of landing Max Verstappen in 2026 for the 2027 campaign, Ferrari could offer the 27-year-old a new home with a lengthy deal and ambitions to deliver a World Championship title.