He was comfortably beaten by teammate Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ championship, and the upcoming regulation changes are going to be pivotal to deciding Hamilton’s long-term future in F1.

Hamilton’s contract is believed to run into 2027, with a clause that he controls that could see him stay with the Scuderia into 2028.

However, journalist Mark Hughes believes that Hamilton and Ferrari have already come to a decision about what might happen if he underperforms again this year.

Although neither party is set on what will happen after Abu Dhabi this year, it’s believed that the decision is purely in Hamilton’s hands.

Hughes was asked on the Motor Sport Magazine Podcast if the 2026 season is make or break for Hamilton’s F1 career, and he continued: “I think it is. I think he will call it.

“I don’t think it’ll be imposed on him. I think he would be very, very aware if he had a repeat of last season in his performance or below his own standards.

“I think he will be very, very aware of the eyes that are upon him within Ferrari, as well as his own dissatisfaction.

“And it’s not like he would be able to jump from there in that situation to another top team because if you’ve just demonstrated that you’re struggling well, then your opportunities for that are non-existent.

“So yes, it’s absolutely essential that he performs this year.”

Damon Hill has suggested Hamilton could walk away mid-season if he doesn’t start competing for victories soon.

It would create ripples throughout the paddock in the F1 driver market if Hamilton did walk away, either during the season or at the end of the campaign.

Lewis Hamilton forced into unnatural driving style change by move to Ferrari

Hughes then went on to speak about why Hamilton has struggled so much since making the move from Mercedes.

He explained: “I think that one of Lewis’s perceived problems at Ferrari is that communication between what he’s asking for, how he thinks things should be operating and how the team have responded to him.

“I don’t mean that in a way where they’re ignoring them, but it’s just maybe the communication is not ideal.

“The problems he was referencing in the car were to do with how this car had evolved in a way which is very different to those he’d been driving before, particularly in how much engine braking it uses on the entry to corners.

“That’s something that Charles Leclerc has incorporated into his style very effectively.

“And with Lewis, traditionally, he doesn’t like a lot of engine braking. He likes to get his rotation from very aggressive steering and braking, and getting the rotation of the car very early, and having the back of the car strong enough nailed down enough to keep up.

“So this sensation of it sort of moving around as he’s on the brakes, it’s not come naturally to him.”

Hamilton appeared to be ‘suffering’ at one point during testing in Barcelona, but that didn’t stop him from setting the fastest time across the week.

Very little can be read into Hamilton coming out on top of the time sheets at this stage of the year, but it suggests Ferrari are heading into the 2026 campaign in a positive position.