Rumours suggest Ferrari eye Piastri as Hamilton’s long-term replacement

Follow us on Google Discover

Lewis Hamilton got his first taste of what Monza feels like as a Ferrari driver at the Italian Grand Prix, but so far, his debut season with the team hasn’t lived up to expectations.

The 40-year-old switched to Maranello for the 2025 season after spending over a decade with Mercedes. But this year has been unlike any before it – Hamilton hasn’t managed a podium finish this deep into the season, with three fourth-place finishes being his best results so far.

READ MORE: Rosberg reveals key Ferrari clause helping Hamilton beyond £44m salary

Sixteen rounds into his first season with Ferrari and still without a podium, Hamilton is experiencing his slowest start ever. In previous years, it never took him more than 10 races to reach the top three. He’s also never had fewer points at this stage of a season since the current scoring system began in 2010.

Alpine adviser Flavio Briatore doesn’t think Hamilton expected this many issues at Ferrari. Adjusting to life outside of a British team and getting used to a new car have been tough. Even team principal Fred Vasseur admitted that both sides “underestimated” how big of an adjustment it would be.

Ferrari are interested in Oscar Piastri as a possible replacement for Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton has said Ferrari “need to change driver” at the Hungarian Grand Prix this August and called himself “useless” after qualifying P12. However, he is expected to see out his contract, which runs through the end of 2026.

But Ferrari appear to be planning for life after Hamilton. According to Mundo Deportivo journalist Fabio Marchi, there was talk in the Monza paddock during the Italian GP that McLaren’s Oscar Piastri could be on their radar as a future replacement.

Marchi said on Cortito y al Pie: “What is clear is that when Hamilton leaves, I was talking to an Italian journalist and he didn’t hesitate to say, ‘Well, I’ve already heard things that Ferrari are attentive to Piastri’.

“What I mean is, if Piastri gets angry within the team, he will not hesitate to go to another big team. So, I think McLaren also have to know how to manage the egos of their two drivers, which they are managing to do for now but with great care.”

Ferrari would need to buy out Oscar Piastri’s contract with McLaren

Hamilton, a five-time Italian Grand Prix winner, had another difficult outing at Monza. He finished sixth, more than 37 seconds behind race winner Max Verstappen, and also trailed his teammate Charles Leclerc by nearly 12 seconds.

Much of the post-race focus was on McLaren’s team orders after they instructed Piastri to let Lando Norris through into second place. The decision fuelled speculation about the team’s priorities for the championship run-in, especially given that Norris trails Piastri in the standings.

Some believe this could eventually push Piastri towards Ferrari if he becomes frustrated with how things are handled at McLaren. But there are also rumours that Ferrari have already earmarked Oliver Bearman as Hamilton’s long-term successor.

Piastri is under contract with McLaren until 2028, earning £19 million a year. The team secured his commitment ahead of the 2025 season amid interest from Red Bull, so any move would require a significant buyout.