Ralf Schumacher Backs Fernando Alonso Over Lewis Hamilton to Break Title Drought

Ralf Schumacher Backs Fernando Alonso Over Lewis Hamilton to Break Title Drought

Despite being two of the oldest drivers on the grid, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are showing no signs of slowing down. While this speaks volumes about their talent, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that only one of them has a shot at the World Championship left in them.

Schumacher chooses Alonso over Hamilton on that front. He feels that the Spaniard is closer to his third Title than Hamilton is to his eighth. “In terms of fighting spirit, he [Hamilton] is simply not Alonso,” he said to Motorsport-Total.

At 42, Alonso is three years older than Hamilton. However, he isn’t thinking of calling it quits anytime soon, having recently signed a contract extension with Aston Martin. It will keep him at Silverstone until at least 2026.

Schumacher made the comments about Alonso’s potential third title while talking about Hamilton’s Ferrari move. The German questions this, and asks why the Maranello-based outfit didn’t go for Alonso instead.

Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025, where his main aim will be to win Title number eight. But he has to compete with an existing star on the team, Charles Leclerc. On the other hand, Alonso can rest assured that Aston Martin will build its team around him.

Hamilton is also used to being the number one in any team he’s been at. George Russell’s arrival at Mercedes has seemingly burst this bubble. And Schumacher highlights a lack of motivation emanating from the seven-time World Champion because of this.

Is Lewis Hamilton unsettled at Mercedes?

The Monaco GP could turn out to be a defining moment in Mercedes’ 2024 season. The team brought in upgrades for its W15, and they seemed to improve the overall package. However, only Russell got them in his car.

“He thinks he is being disadvantaged. Russell got an update and he didn’t,” hypothesized Schumacher. Hamilton himself conceded after Qualifying for the Grand Prix that there wasn’t anything he could have done to beat his teammate.

At Ferrari, Hamilton could be faced with a similar predicament. Even though he is arguably one of the greatest ever, Leclerc is a star for the future. Tough decisions will have to be taken internally if the two square off for a Title fight in 2025 or beyond.

Given Hamilton’s propensity for needing his team 100% behind him, it could cause complications in his bid to get that elusive eighth Championship.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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