Lewis Hamilton has been told he won’t last at Ferrari (Image: Getty)
Former Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone insists will “not last” at . Hamilton has completed a move from ahead of the 2025 season and is seeking a record eighth world championship.
Only three former drivers have won the Drivers’ Championship above the age of 40. Hamilton would become the first man to do so since Jack Brabham 60 years ago.
Ecclestone wonders whether may end up wishing they had not signed the veteran driver.
“He won’t last that long,” Ecclestone told the .
“Piero , who has taken him there, still thinks they’ve done the right thing. I hope they have. I hope they haven’t just jumped in and end up wishing they hadn’t.”
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The 94-year-old, who was CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration for over four decades, suggested that there could be a conflict between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc has been ’s No. 1 driver for several years. Ecclestone also wonders whether Hamilton has the motivation to win another Drivers’ Championship, having already won seven in his career.
“I have my theory about this. It’s not the age with drivers, it’s how long they have been doing the same thing,” Ecclestone said.
“I have thought with Lewis, ‘He’s getting tired. He has lost motivation.’ If he had never won a world championship, it might be different, because then there would be an incentive to win one. But he has won seven.
“The team is happy with Charles Leclerc, his team-mate. Leclerc speaks their language, so they’ll be looking after him. Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived.”
Bernie Ecclestone is not convinced by Lewis Hamilton’s motivation at Ferrari (Image: Getty)
Ecclestone and Hamilton have not always seen eye to eye. The driver criticised Ecclestone for revealing his respect for Russian president soon after the 2021 invasion of .
Hamilton said at the time: “We don’t need any more of it, to hear from someone that believes in the war, and the displacement of people and killing of people, and supporting that person (Putin) is beyond me.
“I cannot believe I heard that. This is going to put us back decades, and we have yet to see the real brunt of the pain.
“Why? We do not need to be supporting that but looking into the future. If you don’t have anything positive to contribute, don’t give them any space.”