According to Ralf Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton is light-years away from the legend of Formula 1. Here are the words of the former driver.
If you were to ask every Formula 1 fan who the greatest driver of all time is, many of them might respond with a single name: Michael Schumacher, a seven-time World Champion, a record matched only by Lewis Hamilton.
In an interview with Formula1.de, Ralf Schumacher spoke candidly, comparing two of the biggest names in Formula 1 today to the legend, Michael Schumacher: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, the current number one driving the car from Milton Keynes.
The German Michael Schumacher and the English Lewis Hamilton share many aspects of their history within the top-tier racing Circus, but two key factors stand out in a direct comparison between the two: both are part of the roster of drivers representing the Prancing Horse (the latter will officially join in 2025), and both can claim the same number of World Championships won in the history of Formula 1.
However, Ralf Schumacher’s views on the comparison between the two drivers seem quite clear, emphasizing how Hamilton is in a position that is quite distant from that of the former Mercedes driver: “Hamilton will never be able to approach Michael. He will always be light-years away from my point of view.”
Naturally, the performance of the W15 is in no way comparable to the glory years of the Silver Arrows, and their results are far from those of the championship-winning seasons. The former driver of Jordan, Williams, and Toyota emphasized that despite this, Lewis Hamilton should have been able to perform miracles, stating: “In Formula 1, it’s up to the team to provide the car to win a Grand Prix. We all thought Lewis could walk on water, but it hasn’t been that way.”
Finally, the most significant jab from the German came when, in comparing Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, Ralf also included Max Verstappen, suggesting—though not explicitly—that the latter could be the heir to his brother. He noted that although the RB20 hasn’t always been the dominant car, the Dutch driver is still achieving excellent results while defending his leadership from Lando Norris: “Max has more talent than Lewis. This places him in a different category. Michael was one of the drivers who made a difference, just like Verstappen is doing now.“.
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing, Pinterest.