Ralf Schumacher has launched the most pointed critique of the 2026 Formula 1 season so far, using a wide-ranging Sky Deutschland appearance to argue that Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari seat should go to Oliver Bearman and that Franco Colapinto is keeping his Alpine drive only because of the money he brings.
The former Williams and Toyota driver, now one of Germany's most-watched F1 pundits, did not soften the blow on the seven-time world champion. Hamilton, in his second season at Maranello, sits a comfortable distance behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in the standings, and Schumacher believes the gap is structural rather than circumstantial.
"Lewis Hamilton is obviously in a better position this year. But he probably won't have a chance against Leclerc in the long run," Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.
He paired the Hamilton verdict with a similar message for Fernando Alonso. "Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have had a wonderful time in Formula 1. But I think it's time for them to leave the cockpit at the end of the year and give young people a chance," Schumacher said. "That's why I'm saying now that I think it's time to let the younger generation have a go."
The replacement Schumacher has in mind is Oliver Bearman, the 20-year-old Briton currently driving for Haas and tied to the Ferrari Driver Academy. Bearman has long been viewed inside the paddock as the natural long-term partner for Leclerc, but Hamilton's marketing pull and multi-year contract have shielded him from the conversation. Schumacher does not buy that argument.
"Oliver Bearman deserves the chance to sit in the Ferrari," he said. "I also believe that if he gets the chance, he can compete with Charles Leclerc. It wouldn't be easy for Leclerc."
Asked why Ferrari has not made the move already, Schumacher pointed at commercial reality. "They want to keep the brand of Lewis Hamilton," he said.
Having disposed of Ferrari's driver line-up, Schumacher then turned to Alpine, where Pierre Gasly's team-mate Franco Colapinto has bounced from a strong Miami weekend back into the centre of the silly-season storm. Schumacher acknowledged the Argentine's talent but argued that Flavio Briatore's enthusiasm is at least partly transactional.
"I truly believe that Flavio Briatore partly believes in Franco Colapinto and attributes a certain talent to him," Schumacher said. "But I think he has a few million reasons to do so."
He defended the logic, framing Alpine's situation as a financially-stretched rebuild rather than a competitive line-up. "In the development phase, where the team is, it doesn't necessarily matter if they finish in the last 10," Schumacher said. "Colapinto is someone who can be faster at times and slower. But he brings money that he urgently needs to get the team back on track."
Alpine's parent group has been cutting costs across its motorsport division, and Schumacher argued that the financial squeeze is shaping every decision Briatore makes. "Renault and the investors want to contribute as little as possible, and every dollar is important," he said. "I don't mean to diminish his achievement, but that's part of the truth as to why Flavio Briatore agreed to go along with him."
The comments will not change Ferrari's stance — Hamilton is contracted into 2027 and Bearman has signalled commitment to Haas — but they will sharpen the soundtrack to what is already a politically loaded driver market. With Verstappen-to-Mercedes whispers, Piastri-to-Red Bull rumours and now Schumacher's twin broadside, the 2027 grid is being rewritten in public well before any team is ready to confirm a single signature.
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*Originally published on [News Formula One](https://newsformula.one/article/ralf-schumacher-hamilton-retire-bearman-ferrari-colapinto-pay-driver-2026). Visit for full coverage.*