Ralf Schumacher has renewed his criticism of Lance Stroll - while also suggesting Aston Martin will eventually need an entirely new driver lineup.
Speaking on Sky Deutschland, Schumacher said Aston Martin is "obviously looking for drivers", pointing to Stroll’s qualifying deficit to Fernando Alonso.
"The qualifying performance is zero versus infinity, so what more can you say?" he said. "I know Aston Martin is very sensitive about this, but it’s simple - it’s disastrous."
Schumacher, banned from interviewing Aston Martin figures earlier this year following similar criticism, stressed he was not calling Stroll completely uncompetitive.
"In the race, he can make his mark here and there," Schumacher admitted. "But when you’re consistently slower than Alonso - an exceptional talent, but at the end of his career - you also have to be realistic."
Despite that, Schumacher said Stroll is not the team’s biggest issue.
"The car is the biggest problem," he said. "Stroll can remain a very good number two, although that has everything to do with paternal pride. It’s his (Lawrence Stroll’s) money, his team, so he calls the shots."
"But from the outside, you probably need to bring in two new drivers."
Schumacher has recently floated the idea of a future Charles Leclerc-Oscar Piastri pairing at Aston Martin, while Max Verstappen remains loosely linked with a reunion with a Newey-designed car as well.
As for billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll, Schumacher said bluntly: "He should take off his rose-tinted glasses and face reality."