Schumacher questions whether Leclerc will ever secure a title with Ferrari.

      Charles Leclerc could potentially become a world champion if he were in the right car, but likely not with Ferrari, according to former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher. In an interview with Sky Deutschland, Schumacher acknowledged that Leclerc has talent on a championship level but expressed skepticism about Ferrari's current environment being able to secure a title.

      "Absolutely, in a McLaren, just like Norris did last year—there's no question about it," Schumacher stated. "Is he on the level of Max Verstappen? No, he is not."

      Nonetheless, Schumacher spoke highly of Leclerc on a personal level, saying, "I believe he has the potential. By the way, he’s also an incredibly kind and nice person."

      However, he pointed out that the structural issues at Ferrari are too ingrained, even with Frederic Vasseur leading the team. "Ferrari is Ferrari, and Fred Vasseur alone won’t change that," he noted. "So the question remains: Can he ever win a championship with this team, in this setup?"

      Schumacher suggested that while Max Verstappen might theoretically achieve success at Ferrari, it would largely be due to his exceptional skill set. "Anything is possible," he remarked. "Many drivers aspire to join Ferrari as it holds a unique status in Formula 1."

      However, he ultimately feels Ferrari may not be the right fit for Verstappen personally. "I think Max is very comfortable at Mercedes," he explained, referencing Verstappen's new ventures in GT3 racing. "With the GT3 setup and the teams collaborating, along with the Mercedes engine, which is always among the best, I find it hard to envision him there."

      Schumacher believes that Verstappen would face challenges adapting to Ferrari's current political and organizational framework. "Max would have to fit into that structure in a certain way, and that's not his nature," he said.

      The impending departure of longtime race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to McLaren reinforces this perspective. "He’s used to being a team leader," Schumacher noted regarding Verstappen. "But coming into a team that isn’t functioning well may not work for him as a driver."

      He drew a parallel to the time when his brother Michael Schumacher was at Ferrari, saying, "My brother brought a team of people who worked seamlessly together." He added, "But going there alone as a driver, I don’t think that would suffice."

      Thus, he concluded that Verstappen's best prospects might be with Mercedes or McLaren.