Ralf Schumacher names the F1 driver he would sign to replace Lewis Hamilton if he were Ferrari boss

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Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton is coming under increasing pressure with president John Elkann’s recent comments putting his Formula 1 future under the spotlight.

Lewis Hamilton came away from his second home race of the 2025 season with another DNF after a disastrous Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

An honorary citizen of Brazil, Hamilton failed to reach the top 10 shootout in either qualifying session before a disastrous opening lap effectively ended his chances of scoring points at Interlagos.

Ferrari slipped to fourth in the constructors’ championship after Charles Leclerc was taken out at the safety car restart, piling further pressure on everyone within the team.

Hamilton is believed to be on a three-year contract at Ferrari, but both parties are likely to have break clauses available if certain performance targets aren’t reached.

Ralf Schumacher has been speaking about Hamilton’s recent struggles and whether he’s still got what it takes to compete at the very highest level.

The 50-year-old has now shared that he would hire Haas driver Oliver Bearman to replace Hamilton if he were Ferrari manager.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Ralf Schumacher says he would sign Oliver Bearman to replace Lewis Hamilton if he were Ferrari manager

Schumacher was talking about the seven-time world champion on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast. He said: “With Lewis Hamilton, I simply believe that you have to see it this way: he makes a lot of mistakes, and his speed is OK, but not better than that.

“And now I see a young Bearman doing wonders with the Haas, and he costs a fraction of what Lewis Hamilton costs, who, I don’t know, earns high double-digit amounts.

“We’re talking about more than £60 million a year. And I don’t think A) Elkann can get that through anymore. That was his decision. Beyond the contract that you have, and B) I wouldn’t know if he’s not like that and says: “OK, it’s been a year now, Lewis Hamilton has kind of stayed put, he’s come a little closer, but the money, we’d rather give it to him, but we’d rather bring in a Bearman.

“We have a young driver who is pushing for the brand; we can build something with the rule change for the future. That could happen, of course. So, I’m curious. It’s exciting.

“I mean, with such a high-profile personality, I expect more, and one thing must not be forgotten. If I were a manager now, I would also say, well, that’s not working, so I’d rather move on and build up a young, talented man like Bearman.”

Schumacher also admitted that he’s worried Hamilton needs ‘too much energy’ to set a fast lap and that’s causing him to make mistakes, such as missing a yellow flag in Sprint qualifying and hitting Carlos Sainz going into the opening corner.

The former F1 driver then said: “So the question is, can he do it? Is it just the car? Does he need to change the car and improve the concept next year, or is the film simply, as they would say, too fast for him now because he’s simply over the top?

“I don’t dare say it now, but it almost looks a bit like that.”

READ MORE: Who is 2025 Haas driver Oliver Bearman? Everything to know

What Lewis Hamilton’s recent results suggest about his chances during the 2026 F1 season

Hamilton knew when he joined Ferrari from Mercedes that he would need time to bed in at his new team.

His task has been made more difficult by the fact that the SF-25 isn’t easy to drive, and the team stopped developing the car midway through the season when the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull continued to work on new parts.

He’s only failed to score points during two race weekends this year, and after his retirement at Zandvoort, Hamilton appeared to be on a level playing field with Leclerc.

However, the Monegasque’s back-to-back podiums in Austin and Mexico City, when Hamilton could only finish P4 and P8, have created a 66-point gap in the drivers’ championship.

When 2026 rolls around, Hamilton will need to be on a par with Leclerc to avoid further questions like those asked by Schumacher from emerging once again.