Lewis Hamilton’s approach at Ferrari under scrutiny after Baku
Lewis Hamilton has come under fire from a former Formula 1 driver, who believes the seven-time world champion should show more authority at Ferrari. The Baku weekend turned sour for the Scuderia starting from Saturday, when Charles Leclerc’s error and Hamilton’s wrong tire choice compromised qualifying and, as a result, the race itself. During Q2, a particular decision involving the Briton sparked criticism from ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher.
Despite Ferrari’s disappointing eighth-place finish, Hamilton has recently shown signs of a stronger connection with the SF-25. Baku is traditionally considered Charles Leclerc’s strongest track, but the British champion at times looked faster across the weekend. The question now is whether Hamilton can build on that momentum and become even more competitive in the final rounds of the season.
The Baku qualifying episode
Speaking on the Boxengasse podcast, Ralf Schumacher analyzed Hamilton’s performance in Ferrari colors during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The German placed emphasis on the role of experience and suggested that Hamilton should have been more assertive in key decisions.
“I was never a seven-time world champion, but if I wanted a certain tire, I got it,” Schumacher stated. “Lewis has enough experience to make that decision.” His remarks referred to Hamilton’s Q2 elimination. What is often overlooked, however, is that Hamilton had indeed requested medium tires, but due to timing and other circumstances, fitting them was not possible in that session.
Schumacher added: “In the end, it’s the driver who has to deliver. He knows the track better than anyone and can judge himself and the car. A normal engineer should never interfere with a driver’s performance.”
A costly elimination for Hamilton
The qualifying exit forced Hamilton to start from twelfth on the grid. The race offered no major comeback opportunities, and eighth place was the maximum Ferrari could salvage. The team failed to live up to the promise shown on Friday, and in the decisive moments of the weekend, the SF-25 fell short of expectations. With Mercedes overtaking Ferrari in the standings, the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix will be a crucial chance to turn the page and respond.
