A thunderbolt shakes the F1 paddock. Lewis Hamilton, seven-time world champion and Ferrari’s current diamond signing, has dropped a bombshell inside the Maranello team. His words, reported by sources close to Ferrari, caused shockwaves never seen in the recent history of F1:

“If Ferrari doesn’t hire Franco Colapinto and doesn’t immediately dismiss Charles Leclerc and Oliver Bearman, I will leave the team at the end of the season.”

A statement that feels like a sporting atomic bomb. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari amid great enthusiasm and high expectations, now seems disappointed with the internal dynamics of the garage and the team’s inconsistent performances. According to rumors, the British champion has lost confidence in Leclerc and the young Bearman, seeing them more as sources of internal conflict than as assets for the future.

The most surprising demand concerns Franco Colapinto, a young Argentine talent seen by many as a promising prospect in motorsport, though not yet proven at Formula 1 level. Hamilton has reportedly identified him as the “ideal teammate,” someone who could support him without threatening his leadership, while helping create a calmer atmosphere within the team.

Equally sensational is Hamilton’s insistence that Ferrari’s CEO make an immediate decision. Internal sources describe it as a true ultimatum: either Ferrari accepts his demands, or Hamilton will break his contract and seek a new sporting project for next season.

The ultimatum has unleashed both media and sporting turmoil. Ferrari fans are divided: on one hand, some support the idea of giving full power to an experienced champion like Hamilton; on the other, many view his statements as an act of arrogance that risks destroying the identity and values of the prancing horse.

Charles Leclerc, long considered the cornerstone of Ferrari’s future, has not yet made an official statement, but his entourage has reportedly called Hamilton’s words “unacceptable and out of line.” Even Oliver Bearman, the young driver from Ferrari’s academy, admitted he was “shocked” by such a stance.

Meanwhile, the F1 world is watching closely. Some teams have already shown interest in Hamilton, seeing a potential once-in-a-lifetime chance to sign a seven-time world champion. If he truly leaves Ferrari, the driver market would be thrown into total upheaval, with unpredictable consequences for the future of the sport.

One thing is certain: Lewis Hamilton’s ultimatum has pushed Ferrari into one of the most delicate crises in its recent history. Now it’s up to Maranello’s management to decide whether to bow to the British champion’s demands or stand by their technical and human project — at the risk of losing a living legend of Formula 1.