Eddie Irvine says Lewis Hamilton ignored Schumacher’s Ferrari lesson

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Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari hasn’t lived up to the pre-season excitement so far, with the seven-time world champion still waiting for his first podium of the year.

The second half of the campaign didn’t get off to a great start, either. Hamilton crashed out at Zandvoort and then picked up a five-place grid penalty at Monza for a yellow flag violation.

He recovered well enough to finish sixth but missed out on a podium challenge despite starting fifth.

READ MORE: Ferrari staff thoughts on Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s Monza performance revealed

Ferrari are holding onto second place in the Constructors’ Championship, but Red Bull’s recent progress in Monza could put that under threat. At this stage, they’re counting on Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Yuki Tsunoda having inconsistent runs to keep their spot.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 about Hamilton’s adjustment period, former driver Eddie Irvine said he believes Hamilton didn’t take note of what Michael Schumacher went through when he made his own move back in 1996.

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari switch was ‘too late’, says Eddie Irvine

After clinching back-to-back titles with Benetton, Schumacher joined a Ferrari team that hadn’t seen much recent success. At the time, they had managed only two wins between 1990 and 1995. It wasn’t until later that Schumacher helped turn them into regular title contenders.

Irvine, who raced alongside Schumacher at Ferrari, doesn’t think Hamilton took on board what the German went through in those early years.

“There is always a price. Michael gave up a lot, probably two or three world championships to leave Benetton to go to Ferrari,” said Irvine.

“In the first few years, nobody had any idea how bad it was at Ferrari. Michael knew there was no point for him because he was so much better than everyone else, he just decided, ‘I’m going to go there’ and it was amazing.”

Irvine also brought up Max Verstappen in his comments and thinks it would be good for F1 if the Dutchman made the move while still in his prime.

Ferrari unlikely to turn things around in 2025

Ferrari, like every other team, has now turned its attention to the development of their 2026 car, with new chassis and power unit regulations on the horizon.

This shift could give them a chance to regroup, as they’re currently facing issues similar to those Hamilton dealt with at Mercedes with their current car.

Hamilton remains committed, telling Monza fans that he was still motivated by the support of Ferrari’s Tifosi during his drive through the field.

According to Martin Brundle, Hamilton is coming to terms with Leclerc’s pace this year. The qualifying head-to-head now stands at 12-4 in favour of the Monegasque driver.