The Lewis Hamilton retirement debate has reignited after former McLaren communications chief Matt Bishop suggested the seven-time world champion may have missed the perfect moment to walk away from Formula 1. This discussion centers around the emotional aftermath of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Hamilton dramatically lost the title to Max Verstappen.
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: A Defining Career Moment
Hamilton, already an iconic driver with multiple world titles, faced a crushing result in Abu Dhabi when a safety car period in the final laps allowed Verstappen to seize victory with fresh tires. The end of this race remains one of the most dissected and contentious in the sport’s history. Reflecting on the fallout, Bishop—who played a key role in Hamilton’s early career at McLaren—shared his thoughts in a recent column.
“Yet sometimes, because of what has happened since — because, in other words, he so rarely had a fully competitive car in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 — I find myself wishing that when he had emerged from that self-imposed purdah, which in my imagined version of events he should have done on January 7, 2022, his 37th birthday, he had chosen a different path,”
Matt Bishop, former McLaren communications chief.
Bishop’s Perspective: The Apex and the Aftermath
Bishop strongly contends that Hamilton’s ultimate peak, in performance and spirit, culminated in Abu Dhabi—even though he did not claim the championship title that night. He compares Hamilton’s situation to that of another former teammate, Nico Rosberg, who retired after securing his own championship in 2016, departing on top.
“For Lewis, the apex would have been Abu Dhabi 2021. Not because he won the F1 drivers’ world championship there — on the contrary, we all know that he was robbed of it there — but because he had earned it there, on track, on merit, in performance, and in spirit,”
Matt Bishop, former McLaren communications chief.
Bishop also argued that if Hamilton had chosen retirement immediately following the heartbreak, his story within Formula 1 would be perfectly contained, sparing his legacy from any future doubts.
“Had he done that [retired], his F1 story would have been neat — devastatingly so. He would have left with his dignity intact, his legacy unassailable,”
Matt Bishop, former McLaren communications chief.
He further noted,
“History — and, crucially, the F1 powers-that-be — would have been forced to reckon with the injustice rather than move on from it,”
Matt Bishop, former McLaren communications chief.
Concerns for the Future: Ferrari Hopes and Lingering Uncertainty
As Hamilton now looks ahead to competing with Ferrari in 2026, skepticism surrounds the competitiveness of his future machinery and his chances of a career resurgence. Bishop expressed hope for a worthy car suited to Hamilton’s ambitions but admitted that doubts shadow expectations for every new season.
“I dearly hope that the 2026 Ferrari will be a car worthy of his talent, ambition, and legacy,”
Matt Bishop, former McLaren communications chief.
Bishop concluded with a note on the unsettling atmosphere around Hamilton’s current prospects:
“But hope, in F1, is a fragile currency, and realism demands that we acknowledge the doubts and worries about Hamilton that pervade the paddocks, the pitlanes, the press rooms, and the grandstands,”
Matt Bishop, former McLaren communications chief.
The Legacy at Stake and What Lies Ahead
As the spotlight remains firmly on Hamilton, both critics and supporters alike are left speculating about the decision that may affect his reputation forever. The ongoing debate asks whether departing at the moment of heartbreak would have preserved his stature or if the fight for redemption offers a better finish to his storied career. With the Lewis Hamilton retirement debate as intense as ever, fans and observers can only wait to see if the next chapter will provide answers or prolong the uncertainty swirling around the Formula 1 legend.
