Lewis Hamilton is not going to have it all his own way at Ferrari, according to Ralf Schumacher.
When Lewis Hamilton departs Mercedes to join Ferrari the following year, Ralf Schumacher is not sure if his move will have the desired effect. After securing a multi-year contract with the Maranello team in one of the most costly transactions in history, Hamilton will partner with Charles Leclerc starting in 2025.
Given Mercedes’ lack of speed in recent seasons, Hamilton has made it plain that he is determined to win an eighth Drivers’ Championship title. He will be hoping to do so at Ferrari. But Schumacher thinks he might have trouble assisting Ferrari in closing the gap on Red Bull at the front.
Schumacher gave a succinct and straightforward assessment to Formel1.de, saying that Hamilton “will not be able to contribute much.”
The presence of team principal Frederic Vasseur, who collaborated with Hamilton in junior formulas prior to his 2007 F1 debut, had an impact on Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari. Vasseur will stop at nothing to help Hamilton win an eighth championship, but Schumacher clarified that he does not anticipate the dream materializing.
The German continued, “I’m sure Vasseur would not pay so much money for nothing.” “In order to ensure that Hamilton can perform, he will offer and provide everything.” Naturally, Hamilton is a superb driver and a seven-time world champion.
“I don’t believe he possesses Verstappen’s traits. He isn’t as reliable as Verstappen, in my opinion, and he can’t pull off that extra tenth at any cost.
Schumacher is not the only person to doubt Hamilton’s upcoming transfer to Ferrari; Flavio Briatore, the former manager of Renault, recently made the argument that Hamilton might not be motivated enough to win another championship. Leclerc will be quicker than the 39-year-old, he added, having spent the last five years adjusting to life at Ferrari.
Briatore said this earlier this week in an interview with RAI: “If he were already driving at Ferrari today, he would follow in the footsteps of Leclerc, who is a quick driver. Underappreciated is the Monegasque. It’ll be difficult for Hamilton to stay ahead of him. Drivers like Hamilton don’t put much effort into their cars when they are not competitive.”
In addition, Briatore hinted that until Ferrari makes major advancements, neither Hamilton nor Leclerc will stand a chance against Max Verstappen, saying, “Ferrari may be the second team in the world championship, but it is not a position for Ferrari.” The vehicle needs to be improved. No driver can make a difference with these gaps.”
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