Lewis Hamilton vs. Fernando Alonso: Ralf Schumacher sparks debate with controversial comparison

Despite being two of the oldest drivers on the current Formula 1 grid, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton continue to showcase their extraordinary talents. However, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that when it comes to potential future World Championships, only one of them still has a realistic shot.

Schumacher expressed his views while speaking to Motorsport-Total, favouring Alonso over Hamilton. “In terms of fighting spirit, he [Hamilton] is simply not Alonso.” His comments indicated that the Spaniard is closer to securing his third title than Hamilton is to his eighth.

Alonso, at 42 years old, is three years Hamilton's senior but shows no signs of retiring. He recently extended his contract with Aston Martin, which will keep him with the team until at least 2026. Schumacher's comments came amidst discussions about Hamilton's upcoming move to Ferrari in 2025. The German questioned why Ferrari didn’t opt for Alonso instead.

Will Lewis Hamilton clinch the record eighth championship?

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari aims at clinching his eighth World Championship title. However, he will face stiff competition from Charles Leclerc, the team's current star. In contrast, Alonso can be confident that Aston Martin will continue to build their team around him.

Schumacher also pointed out that Hamilton, accustomed to being the number one driver in his team, has faced challenges since George Russell joined Mercedes. This change has seemingly affected Hamilton’s motivation, with Schumacher noting a lack of fighting spirit from the seven-time World Champion.

The recent Monaco Grand Prix highlighted some of these internal team dynamics at Mercedes. While Russell received upgrades to the W15 car, Hamilton did not, leading Schumacher to speculate that Hamilton felt disadvantaged. Hamilton admitted after qualifying that there was little he could do to outperform his teammate.

Looking ahead to his stint at Ferrari, Hamilton might encounter similar issues. Leclerc, a rising star, could pose significant competition. Tough internal decisions will be necessary if Hamilton and Leclerc vie for the title in 2025 or beyond. Schumacher emphasized that Hamilton’s success often depends on having his team’s full support. Without it, Hamilton’s quest for the elusive eighth Championship could become increasingly complicated.