Ralf Schumacher Labels Lewis Hamilton's Zandvoort Performance 'Unprofessional'

Ralf Schumacher has labeled Lewis Hamilton's performance at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, which included multiple errors, a penalty, and a crash, as "unprofessional."

Why it matters:

Schumacher's strong critique comes as Hamilton prepares for his high-profile move to Ferrari, raising questions about his consistency.

The details:

Ralf Schumacher, speaking on Sky Germany's Backstage Boxengasse podcast, pointed to "two spins and then a penalty at the yellow flag before the start, P5" at Zandvoort.

• He stated, "With his experience, that really shouldn’t happen to him, and he really has to be careful with things like that so that the fans continue to support him, because that could also annoy the Tifosi."
• Schumacher added that despite Hamilton's underlying speed, the Zandvoort weekend saw "a bit too much going on... where you’d actually expect a bit more concentration from someone so experienced.”

The bigger picture:

These comments surface despite Hamilton reportedly experiencing an upward trend since Zandvoort. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has noted Hamilton's improved qualifying and race pace against Charles Leclerc in recent outings.

Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025, amidst significant regulation changes in 2026 that could reshape the F1 pecking order.

What's next:

For Hamilton to deliver Constructors' and Drivers' titles to Maranello, he must regain consistent peak performance, a trait Leclerc has shown this year.

His ability to string together strong results will be crucial, especially with the anticipated competitive landscape under the new 2026 regulations.