Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari for the F1 2025 season comes with a “huge risk if it doesn’t work out” for the seven-time F1 World Champion.
That is the opinion of former grand prix driver Ralf Schumacher, who fears Hamilton could be exposed if he is beaten by new team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Ralf Schumacher: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari move carries ‘huge risk’
Hamilton will begin a multi-year contract with Ferrari next month, having announced back in February that he is to end his long and successful association with Mercedes at the end of this year.
Despite returning to the top step of the podium for the first time in almost three years with victories in Britain and Belgium, Hamilton endured one of the most challenging seasons of his career in F1 2024 having been dominated in qualifying by Mercedes team-mate George Russell.
Russell qualified ahead of his illustrious team-mate at 19 of the 24 races across the season, leading Hamilton – who will turn 40 in January – to concede at the penultimate round in Qatar that he is “not fast anymore.”
Hamilton’s weak one-lap pace could prove to be a problem against Leclerc, who is widely regarded as the fastest driver on the current grid over a single lap.Schumacher fears Hamilton’s move to Ferrari could turn messy if the team’s F1 2025 car – codenamed Project 677 – does not suit his driving style and leaves him lagging behind Leclerc.
He told Germany’s Sport1: “Two legendary names will be coming together, that’s for sure.
“You’ve already seen how Ferrari shares skyrocketed when Lewis’ switch to Ferrari was announced, but the deal also harbours a huge risk if it doesn’t work out.”
Asked how great the risk is, he added: “In my eyes, it’s very big if Lewis doesn’t have a similar driving style to his new team-mate Charles Leclerc.
“We’ve now seen what that means at Mercedes. George Russell was faster than Hamilton.
“One thing is clear: Ferrari will not be able to build two different cars. No team can do that.”
Schumacher believes Russell’s inexperience proved an advantage against Hamilton, allowing him to adapt better to a difficult Mercedes.
He explained: “A young driver has more capacity and knows better how to adapt to a car. He understands the limits of a car better.
“You have to understand it like this: A car gives you feedback on where the limit is. A young driver can work better with an engineer.
A driver as experienced and successful as Lewis was successful in cars that were largely built according to different rules and happened to suit his driving style.
“Today, the cars are heavier and slower to drive. There is less mechanical grip.
“That means you have to change your driving style, especially in the braking zones – and that’s where Lewis lost time to Russell.
“Especially in qualifying, it became apparent that Lewis often didn’t know exactly how to brake. That’s why he often had problems hitting the apex.
“He was used to braking extremely late, which was no longer possible with the Mercedes.
“But he’s not the only one who needs a stable front axle. Max Verstappen does too, but he is also able to deal with an unstable rear end.”
Schumacher’s comments come after Eddie Jordan, the former F1 team owner, urged Ferrari to back out of the deal to sign Hamilton, having been alarmed by the driver’s admission that he is no longer fast.
And he also told Hamilton to retire from F1 gracefully, warning that a poor stint at Ferrari could damage his legacy.
He said: “If you don’t believe 100 per cent, you’re f**ked.
And at the moment I heard Lewis [admit that he’s] not fast enough anymore, if I was Ferrari I would say close the book, find the way out. That’s it.
“A little message to you, Lewis: always remember in life, you’ve got your music, you’ve got your fashion, you’ve got all sorts of other things.
“You are, in most people’s view, the greatest driver of all time. Please remember what I’m going to say to you.
“Always, always think about the best exit. And this is the time to take the money off the table. Go.
“You are an amazing ambassador. We absolutely adore you.
“But don’t put yourself in a position where we think less of you because you’re marking time out at Ferrari. That’s all I will say.”
Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari for the F1 2025 season comes with a “huge risk if it doesn’t work out” for the seven-time F1 World Champion.
That is the opinion of former grand prix driver Ralf Schumacher, who fears Hamilton could be exposed if he is beaten by new team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Ralf Schumacher: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari move carries ‘huge risk’
Hamilton will begin a multi-year contract with Ferrari next month, having announced back in February that he is to end his long and successful association with Mercedes at the end of this year.
Despite returning to the top step of the podium for the first time in almost three years with victories in Britain and Belgium, Hamilton endured one of the most challenging seasons of his career in F1 2024 having been dominated in qualifying by Mercedes team-mate George Russell.
Russell qualified ahead of his illustrious team-mate at 19 of the 24 races across the season, leading Hamilton – who will turn 40 in January – to concede at the penultimate round in Qatar that he is “not fast anymore.”
Hamilton’s weak one-lap pace could prove to be a problem against Leclerc, who is widely regarded as the fastest driver on the current grid over a single lap.Schumacher fears Hamilton’s move to Ferrari could turn messy if the team’s F1 2025 car – codenamed Project 677 – does not suit his driving style and leaves him lagging behind Leclerc.
He told Germany’s Sport1: “Two legendary names will be coming together, that’s for sure.
“You’ve already seen how Ferrari shares skyrocketed when Lewis’ switch to Ferrari was announced, but the deal also harbours a huge risk if it doesn’t work out.”
Asked how great the risk is, he added: “In my eyes, it’s very big if Lewis doesn’t have a similar driving style to his new team-mate Charles Leclerc.
“We’ve now seen what that means at Mercedes. George Russell was faster than Hamilton.
“One thing is clear: Ferrari will not be able to build two different cars. No team can do that.”
Schumacher believes Russell’s inexperience proved an advantage against Hamilton, allowing him to adapt better to a difficult Mercedes.
He explained: “A young driver has more capacity and knows better how to adapt to a car. He understands the limits of a car better.
“You have to understand it like this: A car gives you feedback on where the limit is. A young driver can work better with an engineer.
A driver as experienced and successful as Lewis was successful in cars that were largely built according to different rules and happened to suit his driving style.
“Today, the cars are heavier and slower to drive. There is less mechanical grip.
“That means you have to change your driving style, especially in the braking zones – and that’s where Lewis lost time to Russell.
“Especially in qualifying, it became apparent that Lewis often didn’t know exactly how to brake. That’s why he often had problems hitting the apex.
“He was used to braking extremely late, which was no longer possible with the Mercedes.
“But he’s not the only one who needs a stable front axle. Max Verstappen does too, but he is also able to deal with an unstable rear end.”
Schumacher’s comments come after Eddie Jordan, the former F1 team owner, urged Ferrari to back out of the deal to sign Hamilton, having been alarmed by the driver’s admission that he is no longer fast.
And he also told Hamilton to retire from F1 gracefully, warning that a poor stint at Ferrari could damage his legacy.
He said: “If you don’t believe 100 per cent, you’re f**ked.
And at the moment I heard Lewis [admit that he’s] not fast enough anymore, if I was Ferrari I would say close the book, find the way out. That’s it.
“A little message to you, Lewis: always remember in life, you’ve got your music, you’ve got your fashion, you’ve got all sorts of other things.
“You are, in most people’s view, the greatest driver of all time. Please remember what I’m going to say to you.
“Always, always think about the best exit. And this is the time to take the money off the table. Go.
“You are an amazing ambassador. We absolutely adore you.
“But don’t put yourself in a position where we think less of you because you’re marking time out at Ferrari. That’s all I will say.”
