Schumacher rules out Ferrari F1 title bid: 'Drivers make silly mistakes'

Ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has ruled out the possibility of Ferrari fighting for a title this year.

Schumacher, who last raced in F1 in 2007, took aim at its drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, stating that the duo “make silly mistakes”.

Leclerc and Sainz have been paired together at Ferrari since the 2021 campaign but the Italian squad has been unable to challenge for a title in that time.

It opened the 2022 campaign strongly with Leclerc winning two out of the opening three races but then endured a more challenging run, with Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominating the field ever since.

Ferrari last secured an F1 title in 2008 when it prevailed in the Constructors' Championship, while its most recent Drivers' title was delivered by Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

The Maranello-based outfit ended the 2023 season third in the championship, falling one position from the previous year.

Little hope for Ferrari

Speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, Schumacher named Mercedes and McLaren’s Lando Norris as potential title rivals to Red Bull.

When asked by podcast host Eddie Jordan if he had deliberately left out Ferrari, Schumacher said: “For me, yes.

“It could be possible, but both drivers, you never know what they’ll do.

“I mean they’re leading a race, they spin off or they’re crashing, not really into each other, but making silly mistakes, which very often surprises me.

“I think Fred [Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal] is doing a good job as far, you can see now the group is growing together a bit better and less mistakes, very good pit stops, but in the moment, I would not see them as the biggest contender, but maybe I’m wrong.

“As it is, you will see at the first test or the first two races, then I think it’s easier to judge.”