Ralf Schumacher Doubts Verstappen Ferrari Move

Ralf Schumacher says he can hardly imagine Max Verstappen seriously choosing Ferrari, arguing the Red Bull driver would struggle in a team structure that is not built around him.

Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, the former Formula 1 driver and six-time Grand Prix winner said Ferrari remains a uniquely attractive name in the sport, but not necessarily the right fit for Verstappen. "Anything is conceivable," Schumacher said. "Many drivers desperately want to go to Ferrari." But he added that Verstappen "would then have to subordinate himself to this structure in a certain way."

That, in Schumacher’s view, is the central problem. Verstappen has spent years in a stable Red Bull environment shaped around him and the people he trusts, and Schumacher does not believe he could simply arrive at Ferrari on his own and make the project work. If Verstappen came into the team alone, he said, "he would not be able to handle it as a driver," especially with Ferrari "not functioning well right now."

To explain the point, Schumacher turned to his family’s own history. He said Michael Schumacher’s 1996 move from Benetton to Ferrari only worked because he did not go alone. "My brother brought a group of people with him who worked together really superbly," he said. Figures such as Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn later followed, and Ferrari then won five straight drivers’ titles from 2000 to 2004. For that reason, Schumacher said, "Going there alone as a driver, I don’t think that is enough."

Schumacher also noted that Verstappen already works with Mercedes in GT racing and appears to feel very comfortable in that environment. He contrasted that with the challenge of adapting to Ferrari’s internal structure without the same kind of trusted support group.

Verstappen is officially under contract at Red Bull until the end of 2028, although Schumacher acknowledged there are exit clauses that could allow an earlier departure. If that happens, Schumacher said Ferrari is not the destination he expects. In his view, Verstappen would more likely only be able to go to Mercedes or McLaren.