Lewis Hamilton eyes racing in Rwanda while fighting for second

Future racing in the 2030s

Hamilton, who is 41 and turns 42 in January, remains signed to Ferrari for the 2027 season, though he has expressed interest in racing long enough to participate in the African Grand Prix in Rwanda during the early 2030s. He had long campaigned for a return to the African continent, and a 10-year deal to host a race near Kigali was announced earlier in October. Hamilton told media in Mexico City that he feels he is built differently than other drivers in the 70-year history of the sport. He dismissed preconceived ideas that reaction times must drop with age, noting his speed in the last race was faster than some of the youngest people there, and said he is still all in for the foreseeable future, though he is unsure if he can compete at 44 against a 20-year-old. He noted that at 41, he can still compete with a 20-year-old and said he cannot say in four years if he will still want to do what he is doing now, but he loves the sport. He mentioned he would have to extend his career to race in Rwanda. His current status includes a contract with Ferrari that runs through the end of 2027, with an option to extend for a further year. Time will tell whether he is here in the 2030s.

The fight for second

The 2026 championship fight remains tight as Kimi Antonelli prepares to clinch the title this weekend. Hamilton is third in the standings, just one point behind George Russell.

Hamilton said he is not focusing on his position in the drivers’ standings because winning a championship is the only thing that matters to drivers. He is instead focused on helping Ferrari secure second in the constructors’ championship, having finished fourth last year. There are nine points separating George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc in the fight for second place, making Hamilton one of only three drivers still in mathematical title contention alongside the Mercedes pair. Ferrari currently holds a 119-point lead over Red Bull and McLaren, while Mercedes leads the standings with a 133-point advantage. Hamilton is using the final five races of this season as a test bench for the 2027 car. He is speaking with the head of aerodynamics and discussing vehicle dynamics to help prepare for next year, intending to keep the goodness of the chassis, which he said has been great this year.

Ferrari performance and Mexico

Hamilton does not want to overstay his welcome in Formula 1 by continuing to drive when his performance has dropped off. He admitted his reaction, drive, and pace dropped off last year, which led many to assume his skills were declining. His performance during his second campaign with Ferrari has shown he can still compete with young talents like 20-year-old Antonelli. After a move from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 season, Hamilton’s first year in red saw doubts about his skills, but he improved during his 2026 campaign which included a victory in Barcelona. Hamilton’s resurgence is undeniable.

In Mexico, Hamilton expects the car to perform well because of the high altitude. He noted that the turbo element of the Ferrari engine is smaller than those used by rivals, and he mentioned that the track will see 25 to 30 percent less downforce than previous visits. He is hoping that straight-line speed will not be as affected as it is at sea level where drag is significant. He is looking for the team to be able to get the tyres switched on, and the Mexico City Grand Prix includes practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Sunday.