Ralf Schumacher calls out Lewis Hamilton “theatrics” amid Ferrari adaptation struggles

Ralf Schumacher criticised Lewis Hamilton’s “theatrics” and slow adaptation to Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Kym Illman / Getty Images

Hamilton decided to part ways with Mercedes at the end of 2024 after driving with the Brackley outfit for 12 seasons, winning six of his seven drivers’ championship titles. With his sights set on fulfilling a lifelong dream of driving for Ferrari and a target of clinching his eighth championship, Hamilton joined the Maranello outfit at the start of 2025.

Expectations were high for the British driver’s arrival at Ferrari, but he has taken longer than he had expected to adjust to the team. As a result, Hamilton claimed he was “useless” during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend and has been fairly public with his concerns, which has not sat well with Schumacher.

“I already said before the season that this could go wrong,” the former driver told Bild. Currently, I’m seeing a lot of theatrics from him. He’s been slamming the team, criticising internally, and arguing with the car – that doesn’t help anyone.

“The car suits Leclerc, not him. Maybe he’s too old to adapt. Or he just can’t cope. I think the decision for Leclerc was made long ago. But I don’t think he’ll quit during the season.”

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admitted that he and Hamilton likely underestimated the challenge the driver would face in adjusting to the new team.

“I think perhaps that we underestimate the challenge for Lewis at the beginning of the season,” Vasseur explained to F1.com.

“He spent almost 10 years with McLaren and then 10 years with Mercedes – that’s almost 20 years with Mercedes in the same environment.

“It was a huge change for Lewis in terms of culture, in terms of people around him, in terms of software, in terms of car, in terms of every single topic was a big change, perhaps that we underestimate this, Lewis and myself. But I’m very, very pleased because the last four or five races he was back into the pace.”

Hamilton currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 109 points, 42 points behind his team-mate Charles Leclerc in fifth.