Nico Rosberg has weighed in on Lewis Hamilton’s future after another difficult weekend, urging his former teammate not to walk away from Formula 1 despite growing speculation. The former world champion addressed Hamilton's retirement chatter and insisted that stepping aside now “doesn’t work” given the scale of the Ferrari project he has taken on.With Hamilton only halfway through his two-year contract, calls for him to consider retirement have intensified across the paddock.Rosberg, who retired in December 2016 just days after winning the world title, gave his perspective on Hamilton’s situation during Sky Sports F1’s post-race show after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.“He’s just really stuck because retiring now, you can’t retire now,” Rosberg said. “Who are you going to replace him with? Taking on this big project and then 12 months in, just because it’s difficult, you just retire. That doesn’t work.” View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWhile Nico Rosberg walked away in his prime, Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari to close out his career with the iconic team and chase an eighth title.The season began with promise, thanks to a Sprint win in China, but the rest of the campaign faded away. The SF-25’s handling traits, inconsistent radio communication, and repeated qualifying struggles left him fighting from the midfield more often than not. He ended the year with 156 points, well short of Charles Leclerc’s 242-point tally. All seven of Ferrari’s podiums came through Leclerc, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who replaced Hamilton at Brackley, finished just behind him in the standings with 150 points and three podiums.When asked about pundits commenting on his future after the Abu Dhabi race, Hamilton said, via Planet F1:“I wouldn’t say anything to them. None of them have done what I’ve done.”Despite the chatter, Lewis Hamilton has previously made it clear he has no intention of retiring this winter. His focus now shifts to 2026 and Ferrari’s SF-26 project, built for the new regulations and his final chance to fight for the front again.Lewis Hamilton admits he “can’t wait to get away from all this” after tough 2025 campaignLewis Hamilton of Ferrari ahead of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Source: GettyLewis Hamilton’s season ended with a drive from 16th to P8, which summed up a year defined by damage limitation rather than headline results. It marked the first podium-less season of his career and left Ferrari without a win for the first time in five years.After the race, Hamilton spoke openly about wanting distance from the constant demands of F1.“At the moment, I’m only looking forward to the break,” he told the media, via PlanetF1. “And just to disconnect or not speak to anyone. No one will be able to get hold of me this winter... I won’t have my phone with me. I’m looking forward to a complete unplug from the matrix. I’ve generally always had it around, but this time, it’s going in the freaking bin.”Lewis Hamilton mentioned that what has kept him motivated through a difficult season was his love for racing, his supporters, and the dream that still drives him.The break, however, will be short. Ferrari’s preparations for the 2026 regulations are already underway, and Hamilton will report to Maranello for simulator work and briefings before pre-season testing in Bahrain - now only 64 days away.