High expectations were placed on the shoulders of the seven-time world champion when he joined Ferrari, which have stood in stark contrast to his miserable first season.

Now, all focus has turned to 2026 with team principal Fred Vasseur maintaining confidence in Hamilton and implementing changes to help his recovery process into the new regulations.

Behind the scenes however, Ferrari management are reportedly preparing for life after Hamilton with German publication Bild claiming that a successor has already been chosen as his replacement.

Who should replace Hamilton at Ferrari?

The report continues that British driver and Haas star Ollie Bearman is at the top of Ferrari’s shortlist, after a solid rookie season in 2025.

Bearman first joined the Ferrari driver academy in 2022, substituting for Carlos Sainz at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix which was enough for teams to take notice and earn him a seat for 2025.

On the one hand, the Brit’s rookie season has been littered with errors and will remain two points away from a race ban until May 2026.

Despite his loose interpretation of the regulations on occasion, Bearman has outclassed experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon at Haas and finished three points ahead of him in the standings. The 20-year-old came into his own towards the end of the season, where he enjoyed a string of top 10 finishes for five consecutive races.

Yet, the 2026 season will be Bearman’s first proper test, no longer able to fall back on the excuse of being a rookie. Only then will Ferrari be able to determine whether he is a worthy replacement of seven-time world champion Hamilton.