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Ecclestone urges Hamilton to quit

NEWS STORY
08/08/2025

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes that it is time for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to retire.

The fact is that - like several world champions before him, think Prost, Mansell, Alonso and Vettel - things have not worked out for the Briton since moving to Maranello.

For much of the time Hamilton has put a brave face on things but last weekend seemed to be the tipping point, with the Ferrari driver calling himself useless and suggesting the Maranello outfit finds another driver.

That was after failing to get into Q3 whilst his teammate claimed pole, and post-race his mood was no better, though he played down the suggestion that he might quit over the summer.

However, that is exactly what Ecclestone is calling on him to do.

As well as being the boss of F1, Ecclestone previously owned the Brabham team, overseeing two of Nelson Piquet's titles. However, he had also been a driver manager, and two of his drivers, Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt, both died while racing, the Austrian becoming the first (and hopefully last) posthumous world champion.

The deaths hit Ecclestone hard and as a result he sought not to get too involved with drivers over the years, a stance that was often misread by the public and media.

The 94-year-old was in Hungary at the weekend, and was able to watch Hamilton's struggles first-hand.

"Lewis is very talented, was and probably still is," he subsequently told Mail Sport. "But like a lot of leading sports personalities when they reach the top, there is only one way to go, and it's not a good direction. It's only down.

"They get tired," he continued. "Lewis is tired. He's been doing what he is doing forever. He needs a rest from it for good, a total reset to do something completely different.

"He may not think it but he will soon get used to doing other stuff away from motor racing in retirement. I think he should have done it a while ago.

"The guy is not a cheat," he added. "But he would be cheating himself if he goes on. He should stop now. If I were looking after him I would negotiate with Ferrari immediately and say, 'If you have someone to replace Lewis, he'll step aside'.

"If I were Lewis, I would say to Ferrari that I wanted to be paid all my contract, in full. They signed him because they thought he could do a job. 'It isn't working so I can I can make way if you want me to, but that's the arrangement'. It could work for both parties."

On a reputed £60m a year for three years, it is highly unlikely that Ferrari would accept such a deal, though it is definitely the sort of deal Ecclestone would push for.

"I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Lewis," said Ecclestone, clearly concerned at the Briton's mood over the weekend. "He's not fighting for a world championship and is at a stage of his life when it wouldn't be worth him spending two years laid up in bed with a broken back or anything else nasty. He doesn't need to take the risk any longer. He's won seven world titles and that is quite enough."

Asked who Ferrari should consider as a 'replacement', Ecclestone said: "If I could steal him, I'd take Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls. He has done super well in his first year and is a great guy.

"I also rate our friend from Brazil (Gabriel Bortoleto). He is talented. Both of them are sensible, too."

Other than Ferrari - and its sponsors - Ecclestone's advice might not go down too well with Formula One Management who see the Briton as one of the sport's most bankable assets.

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READERS COMMENTS

 

1. Posted by kenji, 14/08/2025 3:39

"The thing that I like about BE is that he is never afraid to 'put it out there' irrespective of whether its deemed outrageous or not by some. As for his knowledge base I would suggest that it's as well based as most. BE is still up to his eyeballs in F1 and I would expect he's still deeply involved on many levels. Not everyone agrees with a lot of his ideas or summaries but I would never underestimate his influence at many levels. "

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2. Posted by Geeza1966, 09/08/2025 3:18

"Ecclestone has never been backwards in coming forwards, but I also feel that he does make comments just to stir up a hornets nest sometimes... As if Lewis is ever going to take heed of his advice?? Lewis is his own man and has earned the right to say whatever he feels - regardless of what anyone else feels right?? What's the old saying?? Opinion's are like ****holes - Everyones got one! Well here's mine on you Mr E.... If you had retired earlier yourself, we probably wouldn't be lumbered with this current awful turbo-hybrid engine configuration and these heavy, awkward, oversized and ugly cars either. Ultimately, Bernie manipulated the rules and regs to ensure that the teams had to invest heavily back into the sport to make him even richer. And not forgetting his cosying up to the likes of Briatore and other scurrilous individuals too back in the day...(and probably currently now too) So yes, whilst Bernie has maybe forgotten more than some know about F1, he hasn't exactly disappeared into the sunset smelling of roses has he??? Come on Lewis, we are all gunning for you to make a success of your time with the prancing horse... Rest up well, get through the last 10 races amiably, enjoy the winter break, and come back refreshed in a car with more of your footprint and input inground into it. 2026 beckons.... Come on my son... You can do this!!!!! Cheers everyone..."

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3. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 06/08/2025 22:45

"@editor - Ecclestone is clearly very knowledgeable when it comes to F1 in general, but he’s hardly an impartial observer when it comes to commentary on Hamilton. He’s frequently shown his disdain for Hamilton, over a long period. I don’t for a minute believe Ecclestone’s comments here demonstrate any empathy for the driver or genuine concern for his well being. It’s about being proven right - based on his earlier comments on the same topic. Bernie would have been very disappointed if Hamilton had been enjoying success in the red car. "

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4. Posted by Editor, 06/08/2025 20:36

"@ dejan

Bernie has forgotten more about F1 than most of us will ever know. "

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5. Posted by dejan, 06/08/2025 19:29

"It's time for Bernie Ecclestone to stop gathering so much attention from the media..."

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6. Posted by Chester, 06/08/2025 18:14

"You are correct, didaho. But 2020 was Vettel's 6th year at Ferrari. "

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7. Posted by didaho, 06/08/2025 14:19

"Chester: '20 Chuck 98 Seb 33"

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8. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 05/08/2025 20:41

"I've been saying, since it became clear the 2022 Mercedes wasn't capable of a WDC, and that 2023 and 2024 were likely to be similar, he should have retired then.

Alonso should also retire. Or really should have retired a while ago.

Neither have been in cars capable of a WDC for a while now, and neither really have anything left to prove. And even with Newey coming on board it will probably take a couple seasons to get Aston Martin that far up the grid. Even now, as good as Alonso still is, short of an utterly dominating car, he can't beat the likes of Verstappen, or even Norris/Pastry. Another couple years and he'll continue to lose more of that fine control and reaction time required to be a WDC, just as everyone does as they age.

Time for both to depart and give a couple youngsters a shot. Also, long past time for Daddy Stroll to stop indulging/bankrolling Stroll Jr's delusions of grandeur. "

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9. Posted by jcr, 05/08/2025 19:40

"Ferrari have Suoer Sub llie Bearman Sitting in the wings !!"

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10. Posted by Team Hack, 05/08/2025 19:02

"Well it's true Lewis has taken on a gargantuan job but at the end of the day he is a fighter.

Let's not be too hasty with showing him the door and let him see out the rest of the year.

At his time of life and with his storied past achievements,
changing teams,country and language is one hell of a challenge aside from having to develop a unexpectedly recalcitrant car and being partnered by a hot shoe teammate.

This is to be applauded considering he does not need to do it.

He is doing it, because he wants to, he still has the will,resolve and certainly the speed to make this happen.

Let's also keep in mind the visible 'crises' endured by Lawson,Hadjar,Tsunoda,Sainz,Antonelli, trying get to grips with these current tricky cars or rebuilding confidence.
Plenty on today's grid are struggling.

I know many great drivers in the past have gone to Ferrari hoping for glory but came away empty handed for numerous reasons.

But if anyone can make it happen Lewis can.

P.S. I write this as a confirmed Piastri fan.


"

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11. Posted by VC10-1103, 05/08/2025 13:56

"Should that be Alonso, not Senna?"

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12. Posted by Superbird70, 05/08/2025 12:55

"@Chester- None of the others were busy making and promoting a movie, and their latest fashion line."

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13. Posted by Burton, 05/08/2025 11:40

"Of course Bernie is giving advice he would never heed if he was still ruling FOM :P"

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14. Posted by Chester, 05/08/2025 10:35

"We all know how past champions fared when arriving at Ferrari. But have any of these greats been beaten so comprehensively by their Ferrari teammates?

Vettel was not. Alonso was not. The others?"

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