Photo: Race Pictures.

Hamilton 'hugely disadvantaged' by Ferrari's first crucial F1 2026 decision

19:03, 03 Jan

Updated: 05:18, 04 Jan

byNorberto Mujica

Ferrari's first crucial decision regarding Lewis Hamilton's side of the garage ahead of the F1 2026 season has been interpreted as a setback by former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who outlines further obstacles for the British driver's upcoming Formula One campaign.

“The car will be more nervous. Leclerc can handle that. Hamilton needs stability at the rear.”

- Ralf Schumacher

Photo: Race Pictures

Ferrari's internal communications between the pit wall and Hamilton were a focal point of criticism as the driver and his race engineer Riccardo Adami failed to convey an in-sync relationship that more often than not resulted in the driver voicing his frustration over the radio.

The Scuderia, according to reports, seems to have confirmed Adami will continue to serve as Hamilton's race engineer going into F1 2026, a vital year in the seven-time world champion's F1 career - which could potentially be his last in the team and in the series as well -, and one Schumacher believes could be hampered by the way the cars will behave, where he tips Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc to have the edge on the seasoned British driver.

Schumacher: 'That's a huge disadvantage'

With the highly anticipated regulations overhaul coming into effect in 2026, Grand Prix winner Schumacher thinks Hamilton's rocky communication is a setback, when speaking to Sport1.

“The chemistry isn’t right. That’s a huge disadvantage,” Schumacher said. "They should go on holiday together."

Regarding the way Schumacher thinks cars will handle next year, and what he believes Hamilton's preferred driving style is, the German former F1 driver turned pundit backs Leclerc over Hamilton to come to grips with the 2026 regulation cars. “The car will be more nervous,” he said. “Leclerc can handle that. Hamilton needs stability at the rear.”

Schumacher thinks Hamilton's Mercedes years were a limitation

Reflecting on Hamilton's blockbuster success at Mercedes, Schumacher is of the opinion that his accolades were achieved in dominant machinery and with a narrow gap over his teammates.

Quoting Mercedes' team principal and co-owner Toto Wolff, Schumacher noted that it was the German team who established the set up of the car and that the drivers merely drove, which the former Williams driver thinks it's a "weakness" that "you can’t change that overnight."

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