Lewis Hamilton told the reason he can’t retire despite ‘terrible season’

Nico Rosberg believes Lewis Hamilton would suffer a ‘loss of face’ should he choose to retire.

It would also leave motorsport giants Ferrari in an incredibly difficult position given the dearth of viable options available going into the 2026 season.

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Hamilton signed off the 2025 campaign with an eighth-place drive at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a result which ensured the Brit failed to register a single podium finish for the first time in his F1 career.

The Brit’s barren run of results has left some questioning whether the 40-year-old has the motivation to continue driving, especially since he declared this year was his ‘worst season ever.’

But speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage, Rosberg, who was Hamilton’s teammate for four seasons, believes the latter won’t want to go out on such a sour note.

Why Nico Rosberg does not believe Lewis Hamilton will retire just yet

“It’s been a terrible season for him and it’s not a worthy way to end his career,” Rosberg said.

“It’s so hard for him to deal with that because he’s being beaten by his teammate, struggling to get into Q2, spinning on his own – it’s a real nightmare.

“I think it’s even worse than it looks from the outside for him personally. He’s the greatest, and we’re never going to debate that, but still, it’s putting a little scratch on his legacy now.”

Rosberg added: “He’s just really stuck, because retiring now, you can’t retire now. I mean, who are they going to replace him with?

“And that’s a bit of a loss of face, also, because taking on this big project and then 12 months on, just because it’s difficult, just retire. That doesn’t work.

“And keeping on going… I mean, time is also not on his side, you know. And it’s not going to get easier. So that’s also really not an option. So it’s very difficult.”

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Why Ferrari would struggle to replace Lewis Hamilton if he retired

With the grid expanding in 2026 via the introduction of Cadillac, who have named experienced duo Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their inaugural drivers, Ferrari would be left in a serious hole should Hamilton opt to retire.

Zhou Guanyu and Antonio Giovinazzi served as Ferrari’s reserve drivers for the 2025 season and, although both boast F1 experience, neither are on the levels of Hamilton or his teammate Charles Leclerc.

But should Hamilton continue with Ferrari as expected based on the multi-year deal he signed to join, the 2026 campaign could bring about improved fortunes.

How can Lewis Hamilton return to the top in 2026?

That’s because of the sweeping new regulations set to come into play.

There will be major changes made to the power units and chassis, meaning the cars on the grid in 2026 will be vastly different.

Teams across the garage have long known what the new regulations would be and have worked on their cars for 2026 in the background so they can hit the ground running next season.

The opportunity of a clean slate for everyone is one reason why Rosberg is optimistic Hamilton could rekindle the form that made him a seven-time world champion.

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“I think the big thing is that the regulations are changing, and that’s his huge hope, because it’s a reset,” Rosberg said.

“The car could really be a winning car next year.

“He could suddenly feel much more comfortable in the car, because that’s his problem, also, he just really is not feeling comfortable in the car.”

The 2026 F1 season will commence in Melbourne on March 8 at the Australian Grand Prix.