Ferrari: Ralf Schumacher says this F1 star would be his pick to replace Hamilton in Maranello. Ralf Schumacher believes Ferrari should consider replacing Lewis Hamilton with Oliver Bearman.

Ferrari’s seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is once again facing heavy scrutiny after a difficult run of results and a public warning from team chairman John Elkann that has thrown his future at Maranello into question.

Hamilton endured another nightmare outing at the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix, where his race ended in retirement following a poor qualifying and a disastrous first lap at Interlagos. Despite his status as an honorary citizen of Brazil, Hamilton failed to make it into the top ten shootout in either qualifying session and saw his hopes of scoring points vanish almost immediately. Ferrari’s weekend went from bad to worse as Charles Leclerc was eliminated in a restart crash, leaving the team without a single point and slipping to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship — a worrying sign for both drivers and management.

Although Hamilton is believed to be tied to Ferrari until the end of 2027, insiders claim that both parties have clauses allowing them to part ways early if key performance objectives are not met. Given the current form, those exit clauses might soon become relevant.

Ralf Schumacher believes Oliver Bearman could be Ferrari’s ideal long-term replacement for Lewis Hamilton

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has shared his perspective on Hamilton’s struggles, suggesting that the British driver’s best years might already be behind him. Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast, Schumacher explained that Hamilton has been making too many mistakes this season and that his raw pace no longer sets him apart from the rest of the grid. The German also pointed out that the veteran’s salary, estimated at over £60 million per year, makes his underwhelming performances harder to justify to Ferrari’s top brass.

Schumacher went further, claiming that if he were in charge at Ferrari, he would replace Hamilton with Oliver Bearman, the team’s rising star currently racing for Haas. The British rookie, he said, has been performing at an exceptional level for a fraction of Hamilton’s cost, and his youthful energy could help Ferrari build for the future as the 2026 regulations approach. The former Formula 1 driver argued that investing in Ollie Bearman would make more sense for Ferrari’s long-term vision, both financially and competitively.

According to Ralf Schumacher, John Elkann may already be questioning whether Lewis Hamilton’s signing was the right decision. He noted that Ferrari could redirect Hamilton’s salary towards developing the next generation of talent and strengthening the team’s technical structure for the new era of Formula 1. In his view, Bearman represents the kind of driver Ferrari can mould into a future title contender — something Hamilton, at 40 years old, might no longer be able to deliver.

Ralf Schumacher questions whether Hamilton can still adapt to modern Formula 1

Schumacher also expressed concern about Lewis Hamilton’s driving approach, suggesting that the Briton now needs to “use too much energy” to extract performance from the car — a sign, he believes, of fading sharpness. He pointed to recent mistakes, such as missing a yellow flag in Sprint qualifying and colliding with Carlos Sainz at Turn 1 in São Paulo, as examples of lapses that would have been unthinkable during Hamilton’s peak years. Schumacher questioned whether Lewis Hamilton could adapt to the car’s behaviour or whether Formula 1’s rapid evolution had finally caught up with him.

He remarked that Ferrari must soon decide whether the team’s disappointing pace is due to the SF-25’s limitations or to Hamilton’s inability to extract its full potential. Schumacher hinted that if the trend continues, Ferrari’s management might conclude that the sport’s next chapter is moving faster than Hamilton can keep up with.

Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 results raise fresh questions about his 2026 prospects

Lewis Hamilton’s transition from Mercedes to Ferrari was always expected to be challenging. Integrating into a new environment, learning new systems, and adapting to the unique handling characteristics of the SF-25 were never going to happen overnight. However, Ferrari’s decision to halt the car’s development mid-season — while rivals like Mercedes and Red Bull continued to introduce upgrades — has only made his job harder.

Despite a few strong performances earlier in the year, Hamilton’s campaign has lacked consistency. He has failed to score points in only two race weekends, but the results have not matched expectations for a seven-time world champion. After his retirement at Zandvoort, he appeared evenly matched with Leclerc, but back-to-back podiums for the Monegasque driver in Austin and Mexico City created a 66-point gap between the teammates. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s best results — a fourth place and an eighth place in those same rounds — have left Ferrari fans increasingly frustrated.

Looking ahead to the 2026 Formula 1 season, Hamilton will need to rediscover the form that made him one of the greatest drivers in history. With the new regulations on the horizon and Ollie Bearman’s momentum building, Ferrari’s management will be watching closely to see whether Hamilton can rise to the challenge or if the time has come to hand the reins to the next generation.

One thing is certain: with John Elkann pushing for results, Fred Vasseur under pressure to deliver, and Ralf Schumacher openly calling for change, the stakes have never been higher for Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari career.