Michael Schumacher had to wait until his fifth season to win a world championship at Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, his fellow seven-time world champion, doesn’t have that kind of time.
Schumacher was 27 when he joined Ferrari from Benetton, whereas Hamilton had already turned 40. The latter’s contract runs until the end of 2026, though he has an option to extend it for a further year.
It’s feasible that this is Hamilton’s last F1 contract, particularly if results continue as they are. He hasn’t scored a podium in his first 14 races with the team.
Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images
Schumacher had taken three victories and six podiums within that time period, albeit in a more competitive car. He was able to transform Ferrari slowly, whereas Hamilton needs to find urgent solutions to the team’s lengthy title drought.
Christian Danner tells Lewis Hamilton he must take a collaborative approach to fixing Ferrari
Shortly before the summer break, Hamilton revealed that he was sending Ferrari documents of feedback on not only their car, but also their structure and processes. According to Christian Danner, he sees himself as far more than ‘just a building block’.
Schumacher was apparently more collaborative in his approach, working alongside team principal Jean Todt and technical director Ross Brawn to build one of the most dominant operations the sport has ever seen.
Danner doesn’t see Hamilton establishing that kind of tandem with Fred Vasseur, who’s just renewed his contract.
He also doubts whether Hamilton can be as good a ‘motivator’ as his German predecessor. Intent on travelling around the world and modelling the team on Mercedes, he doesn’t ‘understand Italy’ to the same degree.
“It’s clear that Hamilton believes, or believed, that he’s helping Ferrari achieve its breakthrough,” ex-F1 driver Danner said. “But that’s not how it works.
Michael Schumacher’s record at Ferrari
“Schumacher, Todt, Brawn, and co. showed how it’s done back then when they worked together. The driver was very important, but just a building block.
“I don’t think Hamilton and Fred Vasseur will manage things in such a way that Lewis can win. At least not this year. Next year, everything will be different with the new engines anyway, so it’s hard to predict.
“Schumacher was [a great motivator], but so were Alonso and Vettel. Both failed, even though they were motivators.
“Can Hamilton do that? Does he understand Italy? Not a chance! He spends his time in Hollywood, Los Angeles, London and Monaco, and at home.
“I don’t believe he knows what’s going on in and around Maranello. I know very well that he has contributed and continues to contribute to the meetings.
“But you can’t turn an Italian racing team like Ferrari into an English racing team like Mercedes. That’s why I believe that his input is gladly taken into account, but the results remain modest.”
Lewis Hamilton ignores Bernie Ecclestone’s advice about F1 future
Hamilton has an apartment in Milan, whereas Schumacher never moved to Italy. He has made some effort to learn Italian, but recently acknowledged that it’s been difficult to find time.
One of his issues is that he’s up against a true child of Ferrari in Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque, who has been with the team since 2019, has been a level above Hamilton all season.
Gerhard Berger says Hamilton has become used to being his team’s ‘number one’ driver, so this is an unfamiliar position. Ferrari don’t have an explicit hierarchy, but they may naturally gravitate towards the driver who’s delivering stronger results.
Bernie Ecclestone has urged Hamilton to retire in order to protect his legacy, but he has arrived at the Dutch Grand Prix with fresh motivation. He sent a clear message to his fans over the summer by telling them he was taking ‘no days off’.