Agreement restricting Ferrari's authority regarding Hamilton.
"Hamilton will make his own decisions"
Ralf Schumacher believes that Lewis Hamilton's contract might be restricting Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur's ability to manage the increasingly intense on-track contests with Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari duo has been racing aggressively side by side in the early stages of 2026, notably in a close battle at Suzuka where Leclerc passed Hamilton on the outside of Turn 1. "Our cars made contact in the chicane - I was even worried I might have gotten a puncture," Leclerc admitted afterward. Former driver Timo Glock cautioned that the situation could escalate if not addressed. "A clear line must be drawn when the team is at a disadvantage," he stated to Sky Deutschland. "If both cars start hindering each other and lose battery power, and ultimately the team loses positions because of it, then team management needs to step in. Ferrari must take a strong position here because the racing was really on the edge. The general guideline among racing teams is that a duel is acceptable, but contact is not." He made a grim prediction: "I have a feeling that we will see both of them in the gravel trap after a collision at some point." Glock also highlighted Hamilton’s comeback in 2026. "Charles Leclerc is still slightly more consistently quick, but Lewis Hamilton is certainly back to where we all want him - confident and relishing racing." However, Schumacher believes the situation may be more complex behind the scenes. "I think, even if this will probably earn me some backlash, that while Lewis will undoubtedly be racing at the front again this year, he has a contract that permits him to do just that," he said. "I believe that even if Fred Vasseur wanted to intervene, he wouldn't be able to. This is why Ferrari stands no chance. Hamilton will make his own choices. Naturally, this affects the team - the mechanics, who work tirelessly from dawn until dusk, and then witness these two competitive drivers losing seconds, possibly even parts, because they're colliding with each other. That causes unrest."
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