Schumacher criticizes Hamilton for his conduct during the Miami GP.
Ralf Schumacher has criticized Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, for his conduct during and after the recent Miami Grand Prix. As Hamilton struggles to adjust to Ferrari after spending many years with Mercedes, his radio communication on Sunday was noticeably harsh. He accused the pitwall of taking "a tea break" while deliberating whether to let him overtake Charles Leclerc and rebuked his engineer Riccardo Adami for speaking to him in a braking zone. When instructed to let Leclerc re-pass and informed that Carlos Sainz was behind him, the 40-year-old responded sarcastically, "Do you want me to let him pass too?" Former F1 driver Schumacher expressed his disapproval, stating, "Boo-hoo Hamilton, that was a bit much," during a conversation with Sky Deutschland.
He mentioned, "If you want to overtake Leclerc, that's reasonable—he was quicker at that moment. But then to not give it back without resistance? And afterwards, he shouldn’t have acted as if it was a sarcastic remark. He should have simply apologized. Given his experience and age, that shouldn't have occurred. He could have managed the situation more wisely. That would have suited him better," Schumacher pointed out.
After all the excitement surrounding the new Hamilton-Ferrari partnership, Schumacher believes the British driver is currently handling the situation poorly. "The people at Ferrari have gotten to know Hamilton a bit internally now," he stated. "Such behavior inevitably puts a strain on the relationship. This will linger, and he has to realize that himself. His strong words on the radio and his demands do not really align with his current performance, regardless of how many times he has been world champion. He was closer to Leclerc in Miami, but he should maintain a calmer approach for now."
Leclerc also voiced his unease regarding the incidents with Hamilton in Miami and the car's overall lack of performance, but he articulated his thoughts in a more composed manner both on the radio and with the media. Schumacher noted, "Leclerc was very frustrated in Miami too. I anticipate the pressure will be quite high at Imola in Italy. Ferrari is going there with an upgrade, and it needs to work. Team boss Fred Vasseur is already under significant pressure."
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