Lewis Hamilton at heart of spat as Ferrari F1 ‘replacement’ is ‘named’

Lewis Hamilton has endured a difficult first season with Ferrari, failing to secure a win or a podium – and his future with the team is already in doubt, with Ralf Schumacher naming a potential successor

Juan Pablo Montoya has backed Lewis Hamilton following a disappointing campaign with Ferrari. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion currently sits sixth in the Drivers’ championship after switching to the Prancing Horse from Mercedes for 2025.

He is also yet to claim a victory or podium finish for the team, with only three Grand Prix remaining to leave his mark. Subpar displays appear to have rattled the typically calm and collected F1 icon’s composure.

Following his retirement from the Sao Paulo GP on Sunday after 37 laps, the Briton said: “This is a nightmare and I’ve been living it for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and then the nightmare of the results that we’ve had.”

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Consequently, the 40-year-old has seen his future with the outfit questioned by motorsport enthusiasts and experts across the globe. Meanwhile, Ferrari chief John Elkann recently advised F1 drivers they should “talk less,” seemingly responding to Hamilton’s criticisms.

Speaking in Milan, he said: “They should focus on driving and talk less. We still have a few races left, and it’s not impossible to finish second.”

However, Montoya insists that the team should heed Hamilton’s advice to improve in future seasons, rather than brushing off his concerns.

The Colombian, who raced for Mercedes and Williams from 2001 to 2006, explained: “The sooner [Ferrari] listens to Hamilton about how to improve the car, the better it will be for the team in the long term. If you give Lewis the right tools and the right car, he becomes unstoppable,” reports the Express.

Yet, not everyone shares this view, with Ralf Schumacher even suggesting Oliver Bearman as a potential replacement for Hamilton. Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast, the 50-year-old said: “With Lewis Hamilton, I simply believe that you have to see it this way.

“He makes a lot of mistakes, and his speed is OK, but not better than that. And now I see a young Bearman doing wonders with the Haas, and he costs a fraction of what Lewis Hamilton costs, who, I don’t know, earns high double-digit amounts.

“We’re talking about more than £60million a year. And I don’t think A) Elkann can get that through anymore. That was his decision. Beyond the contract that you have, and B) I wouldn’t know if he’s not like that and says, ‘OK, it’s been a year now, Lewis Hamilton has kind of stayed put, he’s come a little closer, but the money, we’d rather give it to him, but we’d rather bring in a Bearman.’

“We have a young driver who is pushing for the brand; we can build something with the rule change for the future. That could happen, of course.

“So, I’m curious. It’s exciting. I mean, with such a high-profile personality, I expect more, and one thing must not be forgotten. If I were a manager now, I would also say, ‘Well, that’s not working, so I’d rather move on and build up a young, talented man like Bearman.'”