Source:REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
[Saba Sports News] Although Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he will represent Ferrari in the 2026 Formula One World Championship, he is still considered to be under new pressure from potential competition posed by young driver Oliver Bearman. Observers believe that if Hamilton fails to re-establish his core status in the new regulatory period, the Ferrari junior talent could easily become his successor, which isn’t good news for the seven-time F1 world champion.
Hamilton finished his first full season with Ferrari in 2025, but his overall performance did not meet expectations. He failed to reach the podium all year, scoring only 156 points, significantly trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc, who scored 242 points. In contrast, Bearman’s situation and trajectory appear more promising. This young British driver completed his rookie season in F1 in 2025 with Haas, and although he also did not reach the podium, he achieved a fourth-place finish in Mexico, matching the team’s best-ever result.
In the latter half of the season, Bearman made the top ten in five of the last seven races and had a strong point-scoring record, helping Haas surpass others in the Constructors’ Championship standings. For this reason, some media believe Bearman possesses exceptional base speed, and if Hamilton continues to struggle at Ferrari, the team would not lack alternatives. More importantly, Bearman is still part of the Ferrari Academy, and should a vacancy arise, moving up to the main team would encounter no operational obstacles.