“[Lewis] Hamilton Will Not Be Able to Contribute Much“: Amid Shock $500 Million Ferrari Move, Ralf Schumacher Delivers Brutal Reality Check to John Elkaan

It’s no secret that Lewis Hamilton made the switch to Ferrari soon after signing a contract with Mercedes because he reportedly lost faith in the team’s ability to help him achieve his ultimate goal, at least in the near future. With time being of the essence, Hamilton decided Ferrari was his best bet with the Italian team closest to Red Bull than any other team consistently in the past two seasons. However, according to Ralf Schumacher, the brother of the driver whose record Hamilton is trying to break, the Brit won’t add value to the team.

Ferrari will be paying a whopping $100 million a year to Hamilton to drive for them. Additionally, John Elkaan has promised an investment of $400 million in Hamilton’s businesses. That’s a $500 million commitment and investment into the Brit. According to Ralf Schumacher, it won’t add any value to the F1 division because the German believes the Italian team is already on the right track.

“He will certainly bring his experience and his intuitions, but I think Ferrari is already on the right path,” Ralf Schumacher said in the interview with Formel1.de. “Hamilton won’t be able to contribute much,” he further added. (Translated via Google)

Read More: David Coulthard: “He [Lewis Hamilton] Is Mentally Already Thinking About His Next Transfer to Ferrari”

Now, not everyone is of the same opinion as Schumacher. However, others too have criticized this decision and the timing of the announcement. For example, Spanish former F1 driver Luis Pérez Sala believes the announcement was made way ahead of time and is distracting.

Luis Pérez Sala believes Lewis Hamilton is already dreaming about driving a Ferrari

The shock announcement caught everyone by surprise and even the people who were considered close allies to all parties involved. Both Ferrari and Hamilton defended the timing of the announcement, stating they wanted to get it out of the way before shifting the focus on racing. However, according to Sala, the timing couldn’t have been worse. He believes it’s distracting Hamilton as he is already daydreaming about his move to Ferrari, and that it’s detrimental to his commitment to his current team.

When asked if Hamilton’s announcement would create difficulties for Mercedes and Ferrari, he said, “Probably”. He added, “It’s very difficult for me to understand a decision like that so soon, before the start of a season. It’s not a good thing for your current drivers or your team. Everyone is very professional, but it’s not the ideal situation.”

We’re not sure if there are already signs of Hamilton not giving his 100% for Mercedes. Although in all honesty, it seems hard to imagine an F1 driver not giving their best on the track every opportunity they get. What do you think?