Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton’s key difference explained

Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton’s major difference has been highlighted by former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley. Felipe Massa’s former race director was comparing the German icon to Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz but his comments just as much ring true for Hamilton.

The 49-year-old claimed Schumacher stuck with his mechanics through problems and never complained about individuals. He revealed Schumacher had “complete trust” in the team to process a car capable of winning the world championship despite some testing times.

It comes as Hamilton launched a series of passionate outbursts on his Mercedes team as the squad’s issues continue for a second year running. Smedley said: “Michael through all the difficult times. I never saw him once even privately complain about individuals or complain in a way that wasn’t creating what I call a positive conflict.

“That it wasn’t a positive critique to say we have got a problem let’s just be transparent about this problem but let’s all head in this direction. He had complete trust in the technical team and that trust was borne out so when he did have to ride out the troughs he was there as a motivating factor and helping the team.

“Saying ‘it’s alright I trust in you, I know you’ll produce a good car’. And eventually we did produce good cars, we did produce cars which were worthy of winning world championships.”

Schumacher is remembered for winning five back-to-back Drivers’ Championships with Ferrari but suffered setbacks along the way. He was not able to secure a crown until five years into his Ferrari tenure.

Ferrari were also on the back foot in 2005 and 2006 as Fernando Alonso secured a brace of titles. Hamilton called out Mercedes bosses for not listening to him when designing the new W14.

He has demanded those responsible “own up” as he pushed for “accountability” despite the team’s no-blame culture. Hamilton told the BBC: “Last year, I told them the issues that are with the car. Like, I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need.

“And I think it’s really about accountability, it’s about owning up and saying ‘yeah, you know what, we didn’t listen to you, it’s not where it needs to be and we’ve got to work’.” The 38-year-old appeared to double down after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, suggesting he was satisfied at being able to get one over his mechanics.

He explained: “I’m one of those people that always likes to be right, I’m not always right, but in this scenario I was right. So it was good, it was like, ‘I told you’.”