Hamilton 'won't last long' at Ferrari – Ecclestone

Feb.10 (GMM) Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone thinks Lewis Hamilton has “lost motivation”.

While some admire the 40-year-old’s boldness in switching from Mercedes to Ferrari, others see it as more marketing and money-oriented for both Ferrari and the seven time world champion.

Ecclestone doesn’t even think Hamilton will make it to the end of his contract.

“He won’t last that long,” the 94-year-old said. “Piero Ferrari, who has taken him there, still thinks they’ve done the right thing,” Ecclestone added. “I hope they haven’t just jumped in and end up wishing they hadn’t.”

After his run of titles ended with defeat to Max Verstappen in 2021, Hamilton has struggled so far in the new ‘ground effect’ era. Some believe it is his advancing age that is the problem.

“It’s not the age with drivers,” Ecclestone insists. “It’s how long they have been doing the same thing.

“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.”

Ecclestone thinks Hamilton will struggle as Charles Leclerc’s new teammate.

“The team is happy with Charles Leclerc,” he said. “Leclerc speaks their language, so they’ll be looking after him.

“Even if Lewis does well, there will still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived.”

Ecclestone said Hamilton is always at risk of polarising and alienating those around him.

“Lewis gets himself up front in a way where you can dislike him,” he admitted. “How a guy who has won a few world titles and has a few dollars in the bank can dress the way he dresses? I’m not a fan of that.

“He has a lot of talent as a driver. As much as people credit him with? No, but still enough to win races.

“I don’t know why he does all this other nonsense. He needs to get out of the music business and whatever else.”