Lewis Hamilton’s much-publicized move from Mercedes to Ferrari has not gone as expected, with the seven-time world champion struggling to find his rhythm in the early part of the season. Apart from a sprint race win in China, the British driver has been consistently outperformed by his teammate Charles Leclerc, both in qualifying and race finishes.
In Jeddah, for example, while Leclerc celebrated a podium finish, Hamilton crossed the line over 30 seconds later in seventh place. The situation has raised questions about Hamilton’s morale and future in the sport.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher commented on the matter during Sky’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast. "Lewis hasn’t found any harmony with the car. He’s 40 years old and looks shaken and helpless. His body language is very negative, very introverted,” Schumacher noted, drawing parallels with his own experiences as a driver nearing the end of his career.
He emphasized that when racing stops being enjoyable, retirement becomes a real option: “If things don’t improve by the summer break, he might ask himself, ‘Why am I doing this? I don’t enjoy it anymore.’ At 40, with his wealth, he doesn’t need to keep going. You can see that something clearly isn’t working right now.”
If Hamilton’s struggles continue, this season could mark the closing chapter of one of the most storied careers in Formula 1 history.