Michael Schumacher Ferrari F1 TEAM ORDERS revealed as former team-mate opens up

Michael Schumacher, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Schumacher TEAM ORDERS revealed as ex-Ferrari star opens up

The seven-time world champion was the clear number one at the Italian team

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Sunday 19 January 2025 16:00

Ex-Ferrari star Rubens Barrichello has lifted the lid on his time as Michael Schumacher's team-mate, reflecting on team orders he had to follow whilst driving alongside the German icon.

Schumacher is one of the greatest drivers to get behind the wheel of an F1 car, backed up by his record-breaking seven drivers' championships, a feat he shares with new Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton.

Article continues under video

Hamilton will be looking to eclipse that number and make it eight having moved to the Scuderia for 2025 and beyond, although it is unlikely he will have the same help Schumacher once did.

Between Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc, there is unlikely to be a clear number one driver within the team, which was often not the case during Schumacher's time.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be team-mates in 2025

Barrichello reveals Ferrari team orders

Rubens Barrichello achieved 11 wins in F1

“Every time I sat on the car, I had the pleasure and the gratitude of driving a really good car, and that paid off,” he said.

“So every time you saw me on the car, take Australia, the very first race. I was second, but I was getting close to Michael that race, so that was the first time I heard something on the radio that I had to drop the revs, or something like this.

“But you see, I was prepared for that, just because pressure for me was really when I did not know when I met my father after work, if he would come back to me and say, ‘Son, we have no money to go for this go-kart race’ – ‘pressure’ was that, so those difficult times that I had made me prepare for the time that I would then have people watching.”

READ MORE: Hamilton set to ditch key partner

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton Ferrari McLaren Daniel Ricciardo Charles Leclerc