"Ecclestone Urges Hamilton to Rethink Ferrari Move Amid Tough ..

“Ecclestone Urges Hamilton to Rethink Ferrari Move Amid Tough Season and Lecler Challenge

Bernie Ecclestone has advised Lewis Hamilton to consider scrapping his Ferrari contract if he doubts his ability to compete with Charles Leclerc, his future teammate, following a challenging 2024 season. Hamilton’s victories at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps have been hard-won, but the overall season has been one of the toughest of his career, with a significant struggle against teammate George Russell. Hamilton’s qualifying sessions, particularly on Saturdays, have been a notable difficulty. Out of a combination of Grand Prix and sprint shootout sessions, he has been outqualified by Russell 20 times, managing to outpace him only six times.

As Hamilton heads to Ferrari to join forces with Leclerc, he faces a tough challenge. Leclerc, with eight Grand Prix wins and 26 pole positions, is regarded as one of the sport’s most formidable qualifiers. Ecclestone believes Ferrari will naturally lean toward supporting Leclerc due to his established place within the team. “They will back Charles Leclerc. He’s quick and has grown up there,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail. According to him, Ferrari won’t dismiss Leclerc for Hamilton, making it difficult for Hamilton to find solid ground.

Still, from Hamilton’s perspective, Ecclestone sees some merit in the Ferrari move. Hamilton might feel he has outgrown Mercedes, or vice versa, as their relationship has seemingly reached an impasse. Ecclestone suggests Mercedes would not make a significant effort to keep Hamilton, leaving Ferrari as his better option. He added that Hamilton’s Ferrari contract is financially substantial, with many bonuses, though they might serve more as morale boosters than realistic incentives.

The move to Ferrari appears to have been a strategic decision by John Elkann, Ferrari’s executive chairman, who viewed it as a “big ego thing.” Ecclestone suggests that Elkann believed Hamilton to be the best driver available at the time of signing and had high expectations for his impact on the team. However, whether Elkann remains pleased with the decision is uncertain.

If Hamilton is not confident about his pace against Leclerc, Ecclestone recommends that he “do something else” instead of potentially fading out of F1. Now part of the older generation in F1, Ecclestone suggests that Hamilton, who previously expressed wanting fewer opinions from older figures, may need to reassess his priorities if he no longer feels competitive.

The season has been difficult for Hamilton, who recently endured a poor weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix, finishing in 10th place at Interlagos. He was candid in his assessment of the Mercedes car, describing it as the worst it has been all season, adding a bitter note to what might be his final campaign with the team.

Hamilton’s reported struggles at Mercedes have fueled speculation and advice from those in the F1 community, including F1 rivals and figures like Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal. With his move to Ferrari, many are watching to see if Hamilton will ultimately abandon this high-stakes contract.