The Lewis Hamilton v Max Verstappen comparison is one of the most raging debates in the modern F1 era. It all started during Hamilton’s era of domination when Verstappen emerged as the challenger. The debate has continued now that the Dutchman is in the seven-time champion’s position as the reigning champion. The latest to give his two cents to the argument is former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher.
In a recent interview with German publication Formel1.de, Schumacher said, “Hamilton is of course a seven-time world champion and a fantastic driver. But I don’t think he has the qualities that Verstappen has. I don’t think he’s as consistent as Verstappen. And he can’t take that extra tenth away at any cost.”
Verstappen is indeed going through a purple patch where he is churning out consistently strong performances. One is never able to make out whether he is pushing to the limit because that is how easy he makes it look.
The result of that was witnessed last year when he registered 19 wins in the 2023 season, a run that has continued in 2024 with two victories out of the same number of races. The record-breaking run is on its course to continue further for at least two more years.
With the way Verstappen has started the 2024 season, it definitely seems like his championship to lose. Moreover, with the regulations set to continue for another year after this, the Dutchman is also the favorite to add another title to his name in 2025.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is nowhere close to emerging as the challenger anytime soon. Mercedes is struggling in high-speed corners, an issue that Hamilton revealed has plagued the team for three years now. Meanwhile, the infamous porpoising is back, giving the engineers in Brackley another headache.
‘Lewis Hamilton won’t bring much to Ferrari’- Ralf Schumacher
Lewis Hamilton caused a major storm in the F1 world with the explosive announcement of his 2025 Ferrari move earlier this year. The move is certainly the biggest driver transfer in the modern era of F1, if not the history of the sport. However, Ralf Schumacher isn’t sure if Hamilton will bring much to the table.
“He will certainly bring his expertise and his ideas, but I think Ferrari is already well off to a good start. (Lewis) Hamilton won’t be able to bring much. I’m sure Vasseur wouldn’t pay that much money for nothing. He will offer and give to Hamilton everything you need to make it work,” Schumacher remarked.
Ferrari, much like Mercedes, is looking to bounce back to the top in 2026. With the new set of regulations set to kick in, the Maranello team needs an experienced driver to guide the team. Hamilton brings exactly that to the table, with Charles Leclerc being relatively less experienced.
The move could even end up halting the Red Bull-Verstappen juggernaut. The 2026 regulations relate majorly to changes in engine specs, an area Red Bull has little experience in. Ferrari and Mercedes, on the other hand, take pride in the power units that many other teams purchase to fit in their cars.
On a different tangent, Verstappen might end up jumping ship himself. With the ongoing Red Bull saga, Helmut Marko’s place in the team has come under threat. The Dutchman, who remains loyal to the Austrian, has warned that he might leave if Marko leaves.
