Ralf Schumacher tells £2.5m-a-year F1 driver that he now needs to improve his public image

Follow us on Google Discover

Formula 1 is primarily about what happens on the track each weekend, but this generation of drivers also understands how important their public image is.

The Drive to Survive generation of Formula 1 fans was attracted to the sport not only by the action on track, but also by the personality of those off it.

The likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Guenther Steiner earned hordes of supporters through their actions away from the circuit, and that can ultimately lead to a significant amount of extra income as a result.

Gabriel Bortoleto was the last Driver of the Day at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with an increased amount of fan interaction happening at every race.

Attendance figures are up at every circuit across a race weekend, and a visit to Silverstone to watch the British Grand Prix is very different to how it was 20 years ago.

However, some drivers are still slightly wary of opening up too much to the Formula 1 community.

Lewis Hamilton has had to sneak into circuits in the past due to the amount of attention he receives, while fans lined up for hours at the entrance to the Australian Grand Prix to greet each driver.

Ralf Schumacher now believes that one driver needs to open up more to improve his public image.

The race at the Hungaroring might have been the perfect opportunity after he secured one of his best results of the season.

READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Ralf Schumacher says Lance Stroll needs to make more effort to become a more ‘likeable’ driver

Schumacher was speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast about Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll.

Stroll finished seventh, two positions behind teammate Fernando Alonso, to help the team secure their best points haul of the season.

Talking about the Canadian driver, Schumacher said: “From my point of view, the topic would be relatively simple.

“I think we all, or at least I did when I met him, he was 12 or 13, and he was a really great guy.

“But now, we don’t really know him anymore. All you can see are these images of him chewing gum, or of him being angry or throwing something in the corner.

“I think it would be nice if he had 10, 12, 15 minutes for us, for whoever, but preferably for us, of course, so that we can get to know Lance Stroll the person, and then we can tackle these topics with him and maybe even explain it really well.

“We can say, man, do you understand this and so on. I think that would make him more likeable, well, even more likeable.

“Maybe, it’s because internally it’s always said that he’s being treated unfairly, but I think that the father and son approach is isolating themselves from the situation, which I think is the wrong one.

“That will probably only lead to more misunderstandings, and it would be much better for him to be open and honest with us, and then maybe we’ll have a completely different view.”

READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Aston Martin boycott Ralf Schumacher interview over Lance Stroll criticism

Stroll, who is on a £2.5m-a-year contract, has been the subject of plenty of discussions involving Schumacher this year.

Schumacher revealed Adrian Newey had been ‘positively surprised’ by Stroll after he arrived at Aston Martin from Red Bull.

The design genius will be working with Stroll and Alonso for 2026, although the future of their driver line-up beyond next season is yet to be determined.

Aston Martin also blocked Schumacher’s attempts to talk to the team at the Hungarian Grand Prix over prior criticism of the Canadian’s radio messages.

Schumacher thought Stroll’s radio chatter at Silverstone, where he was very uncomplimentary about his car, should have been kept private.

Ironically, he now wants Stroll to do more public appearances and interviews so that fans can get to know him better.