With Lewis Hamilton sitting on the cusp of starting his Ferrari stint, parallels are bound to be drawn between the #44 driver and Michael Schumacher — the only other seven-time world champion to have driven for the Scuderia. Amongst this debate, Ross Brawn stands as a man of unprecedented credibility, being one of the few people to have worked with both drivers.
Brawn, who worked with Schumacher at Ferrari and Hamilton at Mercedes, regards the duo as the greatest drivers in the sport. However, he points out a stark difference in their individual legacies in the sport.
The 70-year-old told Auto Hebdo, “I have worked with Lewis [Hamilton], who is another incredibly fast and talented driver, but with a different approach. He has the notoriety that is sought, the kind of fast-track lifestyle, the opposite of the tranquility that Michael [Schumacher] sought.”
Ross Brawn exclusive spoke to AutoHebdo about Michael Schumacher: “A partnership of people of this level, with such an exceptional driver as Michael, happens very rarely. Not more than once in a decade. I have worked with Lewis, who is another incredibly fast….”
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Despite ranking the 40-year-old in the same category as Schumacher, it is pretty evident that Brawn holds the German racing ace in higher regard than Hamilton. “To have helped him achieve each of his seven world championship titles was something exceptional for me. There is nothing above Michael,” he adds.
Brawn’s assessment of the former Ferrari driver is a matter of perspective. But in a sport that is driven by statistics, Hamilton can outmatch Schumacher and become the undisputed best of the sport — in the very same playground where Schumacher established his legacy in the first place.
Hamilton could beat Schumacher’s record ironically in a Ferrari
Despite his struggles with the Silver Arrows in recent years, Hamilton seemingly still possesses that edge to capitalize on the potential of a good enough car. It was his team’s errors in developing a consistently competitive car in the past three seasons that kept the #44 driver out of title contention.
Hamilton’s arrival at Maranello is a much-needed change for him, and it comes at a time when Ferrari go into this season as one of the favorites to vie for the title. And if this is true, then, the 40-year-old will be as motivated as ever to bag that elusive eighth world title.
If it is to happen with the iconic Italian team, it will be a historical moment not just in the record books. The former Mercedes driver’s eighth title would mark him statistically as the greatest F1 driver ever.
That said, it would also mean that he overtakes the Red Baron in terms of championship tally with the team that helped Schumacher secure his record seventh title. Naturally, there is a lot to look forward to in this historic partnership between Hamilton and Ferrari going into 2025 and beyond.
