Hamilton 'Wanted To Earn Real Money Again' And Ferrari Appeal Says Schumacher

Tuesday, 19 March 2024 at 22:45

According to former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton wanted to associate his name with a prestigious brand and earn money with the Ferrari move.

Only a few months ago, it seemed that the seven-time World Champion's name would be forever tied with Mercedes, as despite the team's struggles, Hamilton never really seemed to have intentions of leaving the team.

Fast-forward to now, he has already signed the contract with Ferrari, and he will be driving for the team from Maranello from the 2025 season, an unexpected move that caught almost everyone off-guard.

Pundits and former and current drivers immediately started speculating about what motivated the 39-year-old's move to the Italian team. One former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, has a clear idea about what was behind the move.

Speaking to Sport1.de, Michael Schumacher's younger brother credits Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur for the work that he's done with the team, not only for bringing Hamilton on board but also for new technicians.

"One thing is certain: Fred Vasseur - now in his second year in office as team boss - has paved the way. The car has gotten better, the team has calmed down and he is doing everything he can to make Ferrari even stronger in the future with new technicians."

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Despite Hamilton's commitment to the Italian team, Schumacher still has a couple of valid questions. The most important seems to be whether the British driver is motivated enough, but in his immediate reaction to the move, he certainly showed that he is.

"But what matters is: How good is Lewis Hamilton? How motivated is he still?"

Discussing the seven-time World Champion's move further, Schumacher stated that Hamilton likely made the move to "earn real money again" but also tie his name to the brand that he can profit from even after his career, as arguably, Ferrari is the biggest brand in the sport.

"But I can understand Lewis: He wanted to earn real money again and drive for a brand that had so much appeal that he could still use it even after his active career."