Lewis Hamilton told to tear up Ferrari contract before joining to..... Read more

Lewis Hamilton told to tear up Ferrari contract before joining to leave team in tatters

Bernie Ecclestone, the former Formula 1 supremo, has advised Lewis Hamilton to consider walking away from his Ferrari contract and exploring other opportunities if he finds himself unable to compete with his future teammate, Charles Leclerc, especially following what has been a challenging 2024 season for the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton’s 2024 campaign has been one of the most difficult in his illustrious F1 career, despite securing wins at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone and the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps. These victories, however, were not enough to mask the fact that Hamilton has faced significant challenges, particularly in his internal battle with teammate George Russell.

One of the key struggles for Hamilton has been his performance in qualifying sessions. Across both Grand Prix qualifying and sprint shootout sessions, Hamilton has been outqualified by Russell on 20 occasions, with the veteran only managing to out-qualify his younger teammate six times. This disparity has raised questions about Hamilton’s ability to match his rivals in one-lap pace, an area where Russell has excelled, often putting him in a more advantageous position when it comes to race day.

Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Hamilton’s challenges are set to intensify further when he joins Ferrari and forms a partnership with Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver is widely regarded as one of the fastest qualifiers in Formula 1, having secured 26 pole positions in his relatively short career, as well as eight Grand Prix wins. Ecclestone, who has long been involved in the F1 world, believes that Hamilton will face an uphill battle to assert his dominance within the Scuderia, especially given Leclerc’s established position within the team.

Ecclestone was candid in his assessment of the situation, telling the Daily Mail, “I don’t think it will be easy for Lewis. Especially in that team. They will back Charles Leclerc. He’s quick and has grown up there. They won’t dump him for anyone.” Ecclestone’s comments reflect the reality that Ferrari has placed significant faith in Leclerc, who has been with the team since 2019, and they are unlikely to make him second-fiddle to a driver, even one with Hamilton’s pedigree, unless the results dictate otherwise.

However, Ecclestone also acknowledged that for Hamilton, moving to Ferrari might not have been a mistake in the grand scheme of things. “He couldn’t exist any longer at Mercedes,” he said. Ecclestone suggests that either Hamilton has reached a point of frustration with Mercedes, or the team has lost faith in him, which could explain his decision to seek a fresh challenge at Ferrari. From a personal and professional standpoint, the switch may have been necessary for Hamilton, who had reached a point where staying at Mercedes was no longer a viable option for the next chapter of his career.

The possibility of Hamilton walking away from Ferrari altogether was also discussed, with Ecclestone noting the financial implications of such a decision. “He would have to walk away from a lot financially,” Ecclestone said, referring to the substantial contract Hamilton has with Ferrari. However, he suggested that the bonus clauses in Hamilton’s contract might be more about boosting his morale than being linked to tangible performance incentives.

Looking at the broader picture, Ecclestone speculated that Ferrari chairman John Elkann may have signed Hamilton to a high-profile deal as an ego-driven move, wanting to secure the “best guy the world had ever seen.” At the time of signing, there were few reasons to doubt the logic of this move. But Ecclestone also questioned whether Elkann would remain content with Hamilton’s performance, especially if the driver’s form continues to decline.

The 93-year-old former F