What Lewis Hamilton isn't getting from Ferrari as Michael Schumacher point made

Daily Mirror

04-05-2025

Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has had a tough start to life as a Ferrari driver, and Ralf Schumacher believes the Brit may walk away from the sport if his luck doesn't change
Ralf Schumacher admits that Lewis Hamilton's career with Ferrari hasn't begun as he might have hoped, and the British racing legend isn't getting the "special protection" he received during his time at Mercedes. The 40-year-old's switch from Mercedes to the Scuderia happened during the 2025 offseason, following Hamilton's earlier announcement about leaving the Silver Arrows before the 2024 season commenced.
However, his journey has been rocky thus far. His peak performance in the primary races was fifth place at the Bahrain Grand Prix, despite showing promising signs during sprint events, including in Miami, where he finished third.
‌
Ex-F1 star Ralf Schumacher, brother of motorsport legend Michael, has shared his insight on Hamilton's tenure at Ferrari, and claims that Hamilton faces the challenge that his new team does not tolerate poor results lightly.
‌
Speaking to Sport Bild, Schumacher said:"At Mercedes, Hamilton was under special protection – that's no longer the case at Ferrari.
"Fred Vasseur shows how serious things are there. He used to always have a light-hearted joke. But now he's lost his sense of humour."
Schumacher has drawn parallels between his brother Michael's illustrious tenure with Ferrari, where he clinched five consecutive F1 World Championships, and the current challenges faced by Hamilton.
He highlighted the rigorous preparation that was a hallmark of Michael's time at Scuderia, adding: "When Michael moved to Ferrari, he tested the car for 35,000 kilometres in the winter.
"The message was clear: preparation and car development tailored to the driver make all the difference, and Hamilton may not have been given the optimal foundation for success in 2025."
‌
Hamilton himself is feeling the pressure on the track, as he expressed his frustration at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and his lack of enthusiasm for the upcoming Miami race. Post-race, he said: "There wasn't a single second where I felt comfortable. No fun, no flow, nothing positive.
"I think I'll struggle also in Miami. I don't know how much longer I'll struggle for, but it's definitely painful. At the moment, there's no fix. So, this is how it's going to be for the rest of the year. It's going to be painful."
Schumacher agrees with Hamilton's sentiments, adding that Hamilton is facing the issue that the car isn't tailored to how he drives. Ralf said: "You can see how much the situation is weighing on him. When you feel you're stuck as a driver, anything can happen.
‌
"I don't know why they thought they could compete for the championship. With a car that was actually built for Charles Leclerc. And that he only tested for two days in Bahrain."
Schumacher also shared with Sky Germany's Backstage Pit Lane podcast that if the current situation at Ferrari persists, Hamilton might not stick around for long. He added: "You can see that he's really slumped over.
‌
"If you're standing there at some point and have no more resources and are permanently slower, then you lose everything. I know from my own experience: if it goes on like this, it's no fun anymore.
"If it goes on like this, there's a risk that at some point he'll say: 'Look, I don't want this anymore'. Obviously, it's not working out for some reason. It's a huge project that Ferrari and Hamilton had in mind, but at the moment, he's a long way away from Charles Leclerc."
Hamilton secured third place in Saturday's tumultuous sprint race thanks to a perfectly timed pit stop, which gave the team some hope for for the main race. However, he's set to start 12th on the grid after failing to advance beyond the second qualifying session.