The 2026 season is being billed as a make-or-break year for Ferrari, who face a key decision over the future of Lewis Hamilton and risk losing their long-term prospects
Ferrari have a tough Lewis Hamilton decision ahead of them(Image: Sam Bagnall/Sutton Images)
Everything we know about the key decisions facing Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur as he looks to give Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc a car capable of fighting for a World Championship.
Race engineer dilemma: Speaking to Corriere Della Sera, Vasseur suggested that Ferrari would not rule out a change to Lewis Hamilton’s core engineering team for the 2026 campaign. Adami, who previously worked with Carlos Sainz, was scrutinised for his communication with the seven-time world champion throughout the 2025 season.
The Hamilton decision: Ferrari must decide how long to persist with Hamilton after a disappointing 2025 season, where the 40-year-old struggled to find his form. While his legendary status currently secures his seat, the team may be forced to cut their losses if the first half of 2026 does not show significant improvement.
Retaining Leclerc: Charles Leclerc views 2026 as a “make-or-break” year for his career at Ferrari, leading to internal fears that he may look to join a rival team. Team principal Vasseur’s primary goal is to restore Leclerc’s confidence and secure him to a new long-term contract to avoid a catastrophic loss of talent.
The Oliver Bearman Crossroads: Young prodigy Oliver Bearman is entering the final year of his Haas contract in 2026 and expects a clear path to a full-time Ferrari seat. If Vasseur cannot guarantee him a promotion for the 2027 season by the end of the year, the team risks losing the 20-year-old star to another manufacturer.
Replacing Zhou Guanyu: Following Zhou Guanyu’s departure to join the new Cadillac project, Ferrari is in urgent need of a new reserve driver to support their F1 operations. Dino Beganovic is a compelling option for the role, while academy talent Rafael Camara is making himself hard to ignore as he prepares for his first full Formula Two campaign.