Lewis Hamilton vows he’ll race in F1 ‘for quite some time, so get used to it’

Lewis Hamilton shut down any suggestion he’s considering retiring from Formula 1 any time soon during the FIA news conference ahead of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion said: “There’s a lot of people that are trying to retire me, and that’s not even in my thoughts.”

Hamilton has a multi-year contract with Ferrari, which began in 2025. But the precise length has not been made public. When asked if matters were clear about his future for next year, the 41-year-old suggested that he’s under contract with the Italian team at least through the 2027 season.

“I’m still in contract, so everything is 100 per cent clear to me,” Hamilton said. “I’m still focused, I’m still motivated. I still love what I do with all my heart. I’m going to be here for quite some time, so get used to it.”

The Briton’s Ferrari move did not start well – after the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, he called his first season in red a “nightmare.” For the first time in his career, he failed to stand on the podium across a season and Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, had the edge in 2025, ending the year 86 points ahead.

But the major car design regulations overhaul heading into 2026 offered a fresh start and Ferrari was able to challenge new championship leader Mercedes through the early races of the campaign.

Lewis Hamilton in action for Ferrari at the 2026 Miami GP (Mark Thompson / Getty Images)

Hamilton secured his first Ferrari F1 podium at round two, in China, but has again lacked pace to Leclerc over the two most recent weekends in Japan and Miami.

Hamilton opted against going on Ferrari’s simulator – a complex piece of computing kit that teams use so their drivers can complete virtual laps of a given track in preparation for race weekends — heading into the Canadian event.

He felt subsequent car setup correlation issues had held him back in his real car after his simulator preparation for the Miami round at the start of May and did not want to risk a repeat problem in Montreal.

Hamilton also affirmed his focus is on his Ferrari future in F1 overall, stating: “I’m already thinking of what will be next, and planning for the next five years.

“I still plan to be here for some time.”