If Hamilton did call time on his F1 career at the end of the year, Ferrari would have an interesting decision to make regarding his replacement. While Haas’ Oliver Bearman is the standout option, Herbert believes that Fred Vasseur could look to an old friend to step in.

Hamilton has struggled to adapt to Ferrari’s 2025 F1 car and has been outclassed by teammate Charles Leclerc. A sprint pole position and victory in China provided a rare high for Hamilton, who is yet to score a grand prix podium in 14 races in red.