Lewis Hamilton’s former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button has made a worrying prediction about the seven-time world champion’s retirement after a miserable debut season at Ferrari
Formula 1 icon Jenson Button believes the new regulations will prove crucial in determining whether Lewis Hamilton has much of a future in the sport. The seven-time world champion suffered a difficult debut year with Ferrari, but Button remains optimistic his early involvement in the team’s 2026 car will pay off.
Hamilton, 41, is aiming for marked improvements this season after Ferrari concluded the 2025 Constructors’ Championship in fourth. The former Mercedes star ended sixth in the drivers’ standings and recorded the first year of his career without a single grand prix podium.
Ex-world champion Button, who was Hamilton’s McLaren team-mate from 2010 to 2012, struggled to witness his fellow Brit’s difficulties. Nevertheless, he recently predicted that Hamilton could make considerable strides this year thanks to F1’s regulation changes.
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“It was tough, I have to say, watching Lewis in 2025,” the 46-year-old told Sky Sports News ahead of the new season, which gets underway in Australia on March 8. “You know, I was his team-mate for three years. I understand how good he is. So it was really tough to see him struggle with the team.
“And you could see it in his face, how much it was hurting. You kind of forget everything else he’s achieved at that moment in time, because you just see the pain. But I think with the new regulation changes, we will see Lewis Hamilton back to his best, I really do.
“Because he’s gonna have input in how the car is designed and have confidence in him taking it in a direction that works for him. So I hope to see that. We want to see Ferrari at the front, and we all want to see Lewis fighting at the front again. “
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The most significant alterations brought in under the new regulations primarily revolve around the power unit and newer hybrid engines. And there are substantial changes to the aerodynamics of the cars, with the drag reduction system (DRS) being entirely removed.
Teams will also operate under updated financial regulations after the limit for operational costs was increased. Ferrari are hopeful that all this will lead to the team becoming a force in the title race once more, and Button, who only retired from motorsport last year, went on to say “anything is possible” as F1 enters a new age.
Hamilton’s team-mate, Charles Leclerc, outperformed his new team-mate last season and managed to secure seven podium finishes despite driving the same car model. However, familiarity is likely to have played a part in that success, with Hamilton hoping an extra year at Maranello will pay dividends come 2026.
But Button reckons that if things don’t pick up for Hamilton this season, it may never ‘work again’, which could ultimately lead to his retirement from the sport.
“Jumping into another team against someone that’s been there for years is always difficult,” Button added. “But now he’s had time with the team, built good relationships, and is hopefully having a lot of input in the direction of the car and how it feels.
“It’s an important year for him. If it doesn’t work this year, I don’t know if it is going to work again. This is the perfect opportunity for him to turn it around.”