FERRARI PLANNING BIG 2027 MOVE TO REPLACE LEWIS HAMILTON
Could Oliver Bearman replace Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari before 2027? As Hamilton's podium drought continues, insiders suggest the promising Haas rookie is being lined up as his future successor for the Scuderia.
Journalists reveal Ferrari’s Secret Plan To Replace Hamilton with Oliver Bearman before 2027 - Photo Credit: Getty Images
Fred Vasseur, the team principal for Ferrari, is aware that he will eventually have to step in and take Lewis Hamilton's place.
Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur both hope that will not be the case for a while, but it makes sense that the 2025 Formula One season has sparked some concerns.
In the drivers' championship, Hamilton is now on track to become the first driver since 2011 to place in the top six without placing on the podium.
Felipe Massa was the unlucky driver who failed to place in the top three that year; the previous driver to accomplish that accomplishment also competed for Ferrari.
Hamilton is thought to have agreed to a three-year contract with Ferrari, which would keep him competing for the Scuderia until the conclusion of the 2027 season.
However, recent remarks made by John Elkann, the president of Ferrari, imply that even a seven-time world champion will not be given much opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and put an end to the team's protracted title drought.
It has been suggested that Carlos Sainz would not decline a return to Ferrari; therefore, the team will need to start thinking about their possibilities.
Journalists Rebecca Clancy and Ben Hunt, however, think Ferrari may attempt to replace the 40-year-old racing great with Haas youngster Oliver Bearman prior to the 2027 season.
Before the 2027 Formula One season, Hunt discussed Ferrari's driver predicament on the Inside the Piranha Club Podcast, suggesting that the company may be "seeking" to hire Oliver Bearman to replace Hamilton. We talked about Ollie Bearman as a young kid at Ferrari, and he finished sixth, he added.
"He gave a truly remarkable performance. Once more, another fantastic weekend with an excellent outcome.
Who knows, Ferrari might even be searching before 2027. When he consistently puts up strong performances, it is hard to overlook him.
"The other two can not be consistent, even when we talk about it."
Clancy retorted: "I believe Hamilton is benefiting from Leclerc's poor performance as well.
Therefore, in my opinion, you should also consider Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal. Although I am aware that he signed a contract extension in July, I am also aware that in this sport, contracts are meaningless.
"There is no doubt in your mind that they will be considering their alternatives. The chairman of Ferrari, John Elkann, does not want to lose.
"In my opinion, Vasseur is the squad member who is under the most pressure."
Does Oliver Bearman have the right to eventually take Lewis Hamilton's spot at Ferrari?
Bearman struggled with consistency at the beginning of the season, often appearing as fast as his more seasoned teammate Esteban Ocon but infrequently assembling a whole race weekend.
In addition, Bearman has more penalty points than any other driver, and he received another one at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after colliding with Liam Lawson.
Bearman's results have significantly improved since the summer break, though, and he is now consistently scoring points and making the top 10.
After qualifying for the first and second positions, he appeared to be in the running for pole position; therefore, he was upset to start the race at Interlagos only in eighth place on Sunday.
At the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, he finished in fourth place, which was amazing. Hamilton referred to Bearman's performance in Mexico as "huge."
It remains to be seen if Bearman could manage the demands of racing for Ferrari every week, but his handling of Sainz's last-minute replacement in Saudi Arabia last year indicates that he has what it takes to succeed Hamilton when he ultimately departs.
MAX VERSTAPPEN REVEALS OVERLOOKED FACTOR THAT DEFINES GREATNESS IN F1
Max Verstappen explains why it's "impossible" to name his best F1 race, reflecting on his legendary 2024 São Paulo win. He argues every victory is equal, focusing only on scoring maximum points for the championship.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing - Photo by: Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Max Verstappen has provided a key explanation for why it is "difficult" to choose the "greatest" race of his Formula One career.
After visiting the site of what is regarded as his greatest victory, Max Verstappen maintains that it is "difficult to tell" which of his 230 Grand Prix victories is his finest.
At the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, the Dutchman overcame the opposition to win his fourth Formula One drivers' championship after starting from P17 on the grid in torrential rain.
It is perhaps the best of his 68 Grand Prix victories and the pinnacle of his 11-year Formula One career.
At Interlagos, the Red Bull driver has frequently excelled under gloomy circumstances. For example, in 2016, in just his second season, he managed to climb from P16 to the podium with just 16 laps remaining in the 71-lap race.
Media outlets, including RacingNews365, questioned the 28-year-old before the race in Brazil on how he could improve on his performance from the previous year.
"A rainy race is always pretty tough, and then around here, it is always pretty tough," he retorted.
"And it was undoubtedly one of my greatest races since I had to execute under a lot of pressure.
Therefore, I would categorically rank it as one of my best races and a really terrific race. Since it depends on so many variables, it is never possible to determine which is the best.
They are all equally valuable.
Verstappen believes that, as every victory is worth the same number of points in the drivers' standings, any discussion about which race was the finest of his Formula One career is arbitrary and solely academic.
But now that he is competing against Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for an improbable fifth consecutive F1 drivers' championship, he needs to win.
Following the sprint in Brazil, he is now 49 and 25 points behind his McLaren teammates with three rounds remaining.
After modifications to his RB21, including a new power unit, his subpar qualifying in São Paulo this season resulted in a pit lane start.
His first Q1 elimination since the Russian Grand Prix in 2021 was the cause of that, which made his task extremely difficult but also gave him the chance to shine once more.
Even though there was no bad weather this year, Verstappen still had to pull his car around the field. Despite his incredible drive to capture third place, he was unable to stop Norris from gaining ground, which will probably be the deciding factor.
It is not about 'how can I perform better than that,' to be honest. Because ultimately, what matters most is that you win," Verstappen continued.
"It is a dull race, and it does not matter if you start in the rear or the front. My sole goal is to attempt to get as many points as possible every weekend.
FERRARI STORM BREWS AS LEWIS HAMILTON & CHARLES LECLERC ISSUE BOLD STATEMENTS
Lewis Hamilton & Charles Leclerc respond to Ferrari chairman John Elkann's criticism after a disastrous Brazil GP. Both drivers post defiant messages, with Leclerc calling for "unity" for the final three races.
Hamilton, Leclerc reply to chairman’s stinging critique - Photo Credit: ASPhotography
Within hours after Ferrari chairman John Elkann's criticism of them, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc issued social media statements.
During a challenging F1 season for Ferrari, Elkann remarked that both drivers need to "speak less" and "concentrate" on racing.
Last weekend's terrifying grand prix in Brazil saw both cars fail to reach the chequered flag, and the team is yet to win a race this year.
After colliding with Carlos Sainz on the first lap of the race, Hamilton sustained damage. He then got into another altercation with Franco Colapinto.
Because of the significant damage to the vehicle, Ferrari decided to park it in the garage after the race's halfway point.
Following a challenging race weekend in São Paulo, Hamilton posted a message on social media on Monday night.
“I back my team. I support myself. I am not going to give up. Never, ever, not now, not then. "Always thank you, Brazil," Hamilton remarked.
Early on in Brazil, teammate Charles Leclerc was eliminated from competition due to an altercation between Oscar Piastri and Kimi Antonelli.
The 28-year-old emphasised the value of cooperation in enhancing Ferrari's position over the year's last three races.
He described it as "a very terrible weekend in São Paulo."
It is disappointing to return home with almost no points for the team at a crucial juncture in the season, as they are vying for second place in the constructors' championship. It’s uphill from now, and only unity can enable us to turn that situation around in the last 3 races.
"As always, we will give it our all."