Lewis Hamilton is under immense pressure after failing to shine in his debut season with Ferrari, and is burdened with expectations of a revival for the Italian manufacturer in 2026 when Formula 1's new regulations come into effect.
The seven-time world champion has had a difficult start since leaving Mercedes, including a crash at the Dutch GP that saw him drop out of seventh place.
The poor result extended Hamilton's podium drought to 15 races since joining Ferrari at the start of the season.
Hamilton's misfortunes worsened after he was handed a five-place grid penalty ahead of this weekend's Italian GP for breaking speed rules under yellow flags at Zandvoort.
This condition has made the 40-year-old racer's appearance increasingly in the spotlight, even giving rise to speculation about the possibility of retirement.
However, former world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Hamilton won't be leaving Ferrari anytime soon. He believes the new regulations, which will come into effect in 2026, require both parties to deliver results.
“No, not now because in 2026 there is a new car, a new engine, a completely new package and everyone is waiting for that,” the 1997 world champion told Comeon Sports.
