Lewis Hamilton may be off to a rocky start with Ferrari in the 2025 Formula 1 season, but former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes there’s no reason to panic just yet. According to Schumacher, Hamilton’s recent sprint race win in China proves that the seven-time world champion still has what it takes.
So far, Hamilton has scored just 31 points across the first five races of the season—eight of which came from his victory in the Shanghai sprint. His performance in Saudi Arabia, where he finished seventh, left the Brit concerned that his form may not improve anytime soon as he continues to struggle with adapting to Ferrari’s car.
Despite the underwhelming start, Schumacher remains confident in Hamilton’s ability to rebound.
“The expectations are very high, and Ferrari wants value for money,” Schumacher said on the Sky Sports F1 Germany podcast.
“That means he has to perform. But he probably will, because China was no accident.”
Schumacher emphasized that Hamilton’s talent isn’t in question—he just needs to find the right setup and rhythm with the car. He also pointed out that upcoming races might play more to Hamilton’s strengths.
“It’s not that he can’t do it. He just has to find the conditions and car that suit him. And there are definitely tracks coming up that will help,” Schumacher added.
Still, he warned that if Hamilton doesn’t turn things around soon, Ferrari could start focusing more on Charles Leclerc’s development path.
“If he gives up now, it would be very early.
But if he does, the team will naturally focus on Leclerc and develop the car more for him.
You can’t develop two cars at once—it just doesn’t work. The direction would be clear.”
The pressure is on. Can Hamilton adapt in time to become a true contender for Ferrari—or will the team begin to shift its loyalty elsewhere?