Lewis Hamilton had already described his first season with Ferrari as ‘terrible’, and his post-race comments in Las Vegas only seemed to reinforce that view.
Lewis Hamilton’s first year with Ferrari has been gruelling from start to finish, and his mood after the Las Vegas Grand Prix only deepened concerns about where his form is headed. Ferrari are on course to finish fourth in the constructors’ standings, a significant drop-off after nearly beating McLaren in 2024, and Hamilton is still searching for his first podium in red.
The seven-time champion has not stood on a Grand Prix podium since Las Vegas 2024 with Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc has collected seven top-three finishes this season. With frustrations now spilling into Hamilton’s public comments, Ralf Schumacher believes one remark he heard in Vegas may signal the end of the line.
Schumacher says Hamilton’s Las Vegas comments suggest “it’s time to stop”
Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher said Hamilton’s post-race demeanour — and his comments about no longer feeling comfortable in the car — reminded him of a driver reaching the end of their competitive limits.
“Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion, but that doesn’t matter if the performance isn’t right,” Schumacher said. “He realised he was at his limit again. He just wasn’t fast enough.”
Schumacher argued that Hamilton’s attempts to push harder are now having the opposite effect.
“The more he tries, the worse it gets from his point of view,” he said. “That’s a sign the film is too fast now. He no longer has that harmony over a whole lap — braking, accelerating, shifting — that feel-good flow.”
He added that if Hamilton finishes the season with similar results in the final two races, “we should really encourage him to make way for someone who still has their future ahead of them.”
Hamilton’s lowest qualifying in 15 years fuels retirement speculation
Hamilton’s frustration in Las Vegas was understandable. He became the first Ferrari driver in 15 years to qualify last for a Grand Prix after a disastrous Saturday.
He recovered only to 10th on the road before being promoted to eighth following McLaren’s double disqualification — but he appeared emotionally drained in the media pen, even hinting he was not looking forward to next season.
Those comments raised alarms for Schumacher. While Hamilton holds a multi-year Ferrari contract, his body language in recent weeks has told a different story.
Before joining Ferrari, Hamilton sought advice from Sebastian Vettel — another world champion whose time with the team ended without a title. Right now, the parallels are hard to ignore.
Ferrari believe 2026 regulations could reset the competitive order. But unless Hamilton rediscovers the harmony and confidence that defined his peak, questions about his future are only likely to intensify.
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