Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher shared only 3 seasons in Formula1 collectively, yet both motorists’ careers have defined their various eras. And together with Hamilton well-placed to equal the good German’s seven titles in 2020, the Managing Director of Motorsports Ross Brawn of F1 has explained the winning qualities shared by both motorists.
Brawn worked together with both motorists during his career, inhabiting seven of Schumacher’s championships as Technical Director for both Benetton (from 1991-96) and Ferrari (from 1997-2006), before helping to bring Hamilton from McLaren to Mercedes for 2013 — as a replacement for Schumacher, incidentally — whilst Team Principal at the Silver Arrows.
“They are both massively gifted in what they do in the car and those moments where they pull something from nowhere,” said Brawn. “Some of those qualifying laps Lewis has done have left the group speechless.
“Michael Schumacher was exactly the same. There are occasionally.
“Lewis Hamilton has every championship he has won,” Brawn added. “He has got himself at the ideal team at the ideal time and he’s at peak performance.
“He doesn’t make mistakes and is an excellent driver. His performance is outstanding. It isn’t just like Lewis is currently winning from luck. He’s winning because he’s doing a wonderful job and you need to give him credit.”
Besides fitting the seven titles of Schumacher, 2020 could also see the record of 91 successes of Lewis Hamilton transcend Schumacher, a tally believed would never be beaten. But Brawn noted one key difference between the two champions in their own approaches.
“They were different eras, different contests, different kinds of automobiles, and rather different personalities,” clarified Brawn. “Quite different personalities.
“Lewis is incredibly professional, dedicated and committed but Michael Schumacher had an intensity of detail toward the auto that Lewis doesn’t require. Michael Schumacher was brought up in an era where there was not the technology there is now. Data analysis was crude; driver involvement was considerably greater.
“Now a driver gets out of their vehicle and the engineer has an analysis of the automobile’s behavior through each corner. Hence that the driver does not need to state very much.
Michael had that intensity and involvement in the car that Lewis doesn’t need to have
“When I initially worked with Michael Schumacher, we had a sheet using all the corner amounts on and he had to explain where he’d understeer or oversteer and we’d then reevaluate that. By the time his radio turns , they have the analysis.
“So the requirements and requirements of a motorist are very different. Michael Schumacher had that intensity and involvement at the car which Lewis Hamilton does not have to get, so that I don’t know how he would engage in that way as he’s been brought up in an age where that isn’t needed.”
MSC vs HAM ahead of the 2020 season
| Schumacher | Hamilton | |
|---|---|---|
| Poles | 68 | 88 |
| Wins | 91 | 84 |
| Championships | 7 | 6 |
| Fastest Laps | 77 | 47 |
| Hat Tricks (Pole, Win, Fastest Lap) | 22 | 15 |
| Podiums | 155 | 151 |
| Front Rows | 116 | 145 |
| Races in Points | 221 | 213 |
| Laps Led | 5,111 | 4,486 |
| Top 10 Finishes | 226 | 216 |
