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Lewis Hamilton’s tenure at Ferrari has, unsurprisingly, drawn comparisons to Michael Schumacher, and Damon Hill thinks he is now having the same impact he did.
Hamilton’s first season in Maranello was a nightmare, by his own admission, as he struggled to adapt to the car and the team’s way of working. But in 2026, thanks to Fred Vasseur, Ferrari have been listening to his feedback, and he has finally found his groove.
With one win and five podiums, the Brit is 32 points behind Kimi Antonelli and firmly in the title fight. He has got Ferrari believing again, but while Hamilton has no interest in copying Schumacher’s approach, many people have noticed the similarities.
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Damon Hill says Lewis Hamilton has ‘galvanised’ Ferrari as Michael Schumacher did
Schumacher was excellent at getting the Maranello outfit behind him, which proved pivotal to his success with the team, winning five consecutive titles between 2000 and 2004. People are now saying that Hamilton has rallied Ferrari around him in the same way.
Indeed, Ferrari insiders want to put Hamilton on a ‘pedestal’, just like they did for his fellow seven-time champion. They are starting to see the start of Schumacher’s ‘golden era’ in the Brit.
Whether he can guide them to their first drivers’ title since 2007 is another question, but Hill believes that Hamilton has ‘galvanised’ Ferrari, as Schumacher did.
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The 1996 F1 champion wishes he knew he could do this in his career, likening Hamilton and Schumacher to other greats such as Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Sebastian Vettel.
Hill said via Up To Speed, live at the Goodwood Festival of Speed: “So, it’s how you work with people as a driver. I think I didn’t fully understand that. I came into Williams as an understudy in a way and also someone who was a test driver.
“So I didn’t kind of get the same need to galvanise a team around you and inspire the people. When I was with Alain Prost and Nigel, they were the people who were doing that to me in my mind.
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“So I think I learned that a little bit too late. I wish I’d known that more early on, because the more I hear about people like Michael and various great drivers, is they’re brilliant at galvanising the team behind them.
“Sebastian Vettel, I think, is also like that. And I’m sure Lewis has done the same when he’s gone to Ferrari as well. He’s made sure that they believe in him. And so the driver is a very crucial part of the team.”
Hamilton heads into the Belgian GP looking to continue Ferrari’s strong momentum. Charles Leclerc clinched victory at Silverstone, proving that the SF-26 is now a challenger on high-speed sections.
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