Hamilton stays at Ferrari through at least 2027
Lewis Hamilton has extended his contract with Scuderia Ferrari, confirming at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix that he has a deal in place for at least the 2027 season — his third year at the team — with a unilateral option to extend into 2028 as well. It ends any uncertainty about his future at Maranello following a first season, 2025, that was widely read as a difficult adjustment after 12 years at Mercedes.
Why this deal looks nothing like his first one
Hamilton's original move to Ferrari was announced while he was still a Mercedes driver, built entirely on reputation and potential rather than any results in the car. This extension is the opposite: it comes after a full season and part of a second inside the team, once both sides have actually seen how the partnership performs under real race conditions rather than on paper.
The Barcelona win that changed the conversation
The clearest signal that Hamilton had found his footing at Ferrari came at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, where he took a win that reset the narrative around his move after a tougher opening season. It's the kind of result that shifts a contract conversation from "should this continue" to "how long should this continue" — and Ferrari's answer, reached well before his original deal was due to expire, is to lock him in rather than wait and see.
What it means heading into 2027
With Hamilton's seat secure through at least 2027, Ferrari heads into F1's next major regulation cycle with its senior driver pairing settled rather than in flux — a meaningful stability advantage when so much of the grid's driver market is tied up in speculation from one season to the next. For the fuller picture of how Ferrari's current campaign has unfolded, see our Formula 1 category page for the latest race-by-race coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Has Lewis Hamilton signed a new Ferrari contract?
Yes — Hamilton confirmed at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix that he has a deal in place through at least 2027, his third season at the team, with a unilateral option to extend into 2028.
Why was Hamilton's first Ferrari season considered difficult?
His 2025 campaign was widely viewed as a transitional adjustment period after 12 years at Mercedes, before his form picked up significantly in 2026.
What race turned around the narrative on Hamilton's Ferrari move?
His win at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, which came after a challenging first season and shifted the conversation from doubt to genuine contract security.
Pippa has followed open-wheel racing for 12 years, from Formula 1's turbo-hybrid era to IndyCar's short ovals, and has watched competitive sim racing grow from a niche hobby into a genuine motorsport discipline in its own right. She covers circuit and open-wheel racing, touring cars and esports for CNMOTOS.
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