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Lewis Hamilton responds to Ferrari F1 exit rumours with contract detail

Lewis Hamilton has responded to the rumours linking him to a Ferrari exit at the end of 2026, sharing details on the length of his contract and when extension negotiations would usually begin.

The seven-time champion signed a multi-year contract with the Maranello outfit for the start of the 2025 season. Since joining the team, Hamilton has struggled to adapt to such a change. While he secured a sprint race win in China, he is yet to celebrate on a grand prix podium, with his best finish at the time of writing being P4 in the Emilia Romagna, Austrian, British, and United States Grands Prix. 

After Haas rookie driver Oliver Bearman impressed with a fourth-place finish at the Mexico Grand Prix, rumours began to circulate suggesting the 20-year-old could replace Hamilton at Ferrari for the 2027 season. 

Hamilton shot the rumours down ahead of the Brazil Grand Prix.

"I have a pretty long contract," he told the media. "Normally, when you do a contract, it's usually the year before you start to talk about it. I'm a little bit far from that right now."

Turning his attention to the weekend ahead in São Paulo, Hamilton added: "I think we've definitely made a lot of progress over the past month or so, the last couple of months. In the last race, obviously Charles got a great result. I think that's going to vary from race to race, depending on the track that we're at.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari (Photo by: Lars Baron / LAT Images via Getty Images)

"This is the first time driving for Ferrari here, so their car looked pretty good here last year. I don't know what it's going to feel like here, but I'm definitely hoping. Obviously, they resurfaced part of the track as well, so it's pretty new, the circuit.
 
"I'm hoping that we can run the car as close to the limit as possible and get a good result. Hopefully, with the nice Brazil weather changing, maybe we can have a good weekend."

The Brazil Grand Prix weekend is set to feature the penultimate sprint race of the season, meaning the drivers will have just one practice session before heading straight into sprint qualifying later today.

Photos from Sao Paulo GP - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Sebastian Vettel arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Fans hold up signs in support of Scuderia Ferrari in the fan zone.

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Friday, in photos

Formula 1
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