Steiner questions Hamilton's ability to lead Ferrari

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has questioned whether Lewis Hamilton is the right driver to turn Ferrari's fortunes around, suggesting Max Verstappen might be better suited to the role. Hamilton joined Ferrari in 2025 after 12 years with Mercedes and claimed his maiden Ferrari win at the Barcelona Catalunya Grand Prix. He currently sits fourth in the drivers' standings with three rounds remaining.

On The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner pointed to Michael Schumacher as an example of a strong driver who made Ferrari successful, and questioned whether Hamilton can do the same. Asked about Verstappen, he said: "He's relentless. That could be the solution." His co-host Brian Muller noted that Verstappen is not available to Ferrari, so Hamilton is the driver they have.

The comments follow Ralf Schumacher's claim that Hamilton "never learned how to lead a team", made on Sky Sports Germany's Backstage Boxengasse podcast. Intra-team tension between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc has also drawn scrutiny in recent race weekends.