Last Updated on November 9 2024, 9:10 pm
Lewis Hamilton is statistically the best F1 driver of all time when it comes to qualifying. His 104 pole positions tower above even the greatest of drivers with Michael Schumacher (68), Ayrton Senna (65), Sebastian Vettel (57) and Max Verstappen (40).
Yet since the introduction of the new ground effect cars in 2022, the seven times world champion has appeared a shadow of his former self. Having lost his lead over George Russell in Brazil, Hamilton is now seventh in the drivers’ title race with only Sergio Perez below him from the top four teams.
Russell has also conquered Hamilton twenty times this year in the various forms of qualifying and should he retain the lead over his team mate, the young driver from Kings Lynn with have been the first to better Hamilton over a three year period.
“Break Ferrari contract” says Ecclestone
Despite breaking his drought of race wins this year where Hamilton claimed the top step of the podium in Silverstone and Spa Francorchamps, Lewis is not the driver he once was and is now heading to Ferrari to salvage the end of his career.
Former F1 chief, Bernie Ecclestone has now advised Lewis Hamilton to consider ripping up his Ferrari contract should he fail to get up to speed with Charles Leclerc next year. Speaking to The Mail Ecclestone warns, “I do not think it will be easy for Lewis. Especially in that team. They will back Charles Leclerc. He is quick and has grown up there. They will not dump him for anyone.”
Ecclestone though believes Lewis did not make a mistake walking away from Mercedes after his three years performance against George Russell because “he could not exist any longer at Mercedes. Either he has given up with them or they have given up on him. They would not do much to keep him, so he is better off going.”
Toto Wolff also addressed Hamilton’s departure this week insisting the short term deal struck between Lewis and Mercedes had been designed as such for the benefit of both parties.“There’s a reason why we only signed a one-plus-one-year contract,” he explained before surprisingly appearing to question Hamilton’s evident decline.
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Wolff looks to future generations
“We’re in a sport where cognitive sharpness is extremely important, and I believe everyone has a shelf life,” said the Mercedes team boss.
Wolff also admits he was ‘relieved’ when the Hamilton news had finally sunk in if only to prevent an awkward conversation with his star driver in the future. “I like the situation,” Wolff shared. “It helps us because it avoids the moment where we need to tell the sport’s most iconic driver that we want to stop.”
“So I need to look at the next generation. It’s the same in football. Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola,” he added. “They anticipated it in the performance of their top stars and brought in junior players that drove the team for the next years.”
Now with all eyes on the new partnership about to form between the seven times champion and Formula One’s most iconic brand in the form of the Scuderia, Ecclestone was asked whether Lewis could walk away from his Ferrari contract altogether.
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Ferrari boss “ego” trip when signing Hamilton
“He would have to walk away from a lot financially. It is a big deal he has got, though I suspect the bonus clauses written into his contract are there to make him feel good rather than reality”, concluded the ex-F1 boss.
Reading between the lines, Bernie does not believe Ferrari and Hamilton are to be a match made in heaven. His view the team with favour Leclerc will not sit well with Hamilton and a deal struck in there moment may have tremendous ramifications for the Ferrari big boss.
“For John Elkann, the guy who runs it, it was a big ego thing. He thought he had captured the best guy the world had ever seen. When he signed him there was nothing to indicate he was wrong in that assessment. Whether he is still happy with that is another story – only time will tell,” pondered Ecclestone.
Suggesting Elkann regrets his decision is a surprising claim from Bernie but given the depth of relationship Ecclestone has with such key players, it’s a notion not to be quickly dismissed.
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Hamilton’s fading powers exposed
“If Lewis is fading, which I do not like to see, he should go away and do something else and do a good job at it. He is now one of the older generation – and did he not say he wanted to hear less from them?”
Bernie’s last comment is a jibe against a position Hamilton took back in the summer of 2022. This was at the height of the Nelson Piquet controversy, where the Brazilian had been accused of describing Lewis, using a racist trope.
The Hamilton questioned why older driers who are no longer “relevent” in F1 are being given a platform. “I think it’s more about the bigger picture,” Hamilton said in an FIA press conference. “I mean, I don’t know why we are continuing to give these older voices a platform, because they are speaking upon our sport and we’re looking to go somewhere completely different and that’s not representative I think of who we are as a sport now and where we are planning to go.”
Verstappen backed by rivals in FIA row
Perez now in the ‘departure lounge’
Now approaching his mid-90’s, Ecclestone was in the paddock in Sao Paulo and the Former F1 boss had lost little of his ‘presence’ or wit. Bernie now lives in Brazil with his wife Fabiana Flosi (married 2012), the once vice-president of marketing for the Brazilian Grand Prix. Flosi is 46 years younger than Ecclestone but the pair enjoyed the birth of their son in July 2020 making Ecclestone one of the oldest known fathers.
Hamilton for his part said in Brazil he was looking forward to a holiday following a disastrous race weekend which saw him crash out of Q1 in severe wet weather conditions while his team mate almost claimed pole. The data now shows Lewis had less confidence in the car than Russell as the overlays each drivers braking patterns.
This again underlines the fact that a number of the senior F1 drivers have struggled with the ground effect cars. Daniel Ricciardo clung on for 75% of the season before finally receiving the chop by Red Bull and Sergio Perez now sits uncomfortable in the departure lounge.
Rookie with just 5 F1 race contract for 2025
F1 makes HUGE calendar announcement
Formula One is entering the final run of its longest ever season of twenty four Grand Prix and six Sprint events. The last outing in Brazil concluded a triple header of race weekends, which is a fairly new phenomena in F1 and the packed schedule attracted criticism in Sao Paulo from fatigued drivers, media personnel and the race team folk alike.
There are now two weekends off for the F1 crews before a final triple header begins in Las Vegas before moving to the deserts of Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The F1 calendar has been the topic of debate for some time and with the FIA’s push for net zero in 2030 a number of historic F1 events have had to move from their traditional slots in the schedule.
To make the travel footprint of F1 less carbon intensive, the sport is attempting to regionalise the events and so the likes of Japan have been moved to the Spring and coupled with new season opener in Australia and then a visit to China, in what now completes the early season flyaways for those countries around the pacific rim… READ MORE
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Let me play devil’s advocate here Do you not think that Mercedes have given George a better car than Lewis’?
You don’t go from being the GOAT to being a mediocre driver overnight Just like the Abu Dhabi farce, people are pulling strings in an attempt to make Lewis look quite bad and I am confident that when he gets to Ferrari, he will be back to the best version of himself who everyone else fears and having ‘the old codger’ Bernie, advise him to rip up his Ferrari contract speaks volumes
It seems the whole of the f1 world, will do anything to protect Schumachers seven title wins not being surpassed by Lewis and everyone should be aware that Mercedes lost Lewis when they chose not to legally fight the FIA on the Abu Dhabi outcome.
Too many strange decisions were made to give Verstappen the advantage over Hamilton.
Let’s not ignor the fact, that it’s Charles in Charge now. Lewis left Toto
Camp because nobody would hear his input anymore. He lost his
winning attitude. Hamilton should retire and enjoy life outside of F1.
My prediction is, Charles wins 3 races in 2025. Hamilton wins none.
In every sport, even the best fall over the age cliff.
From best to also ran in a second
Boxing, football, F1, cycling. Always the same
Lewis is no different
Even during a bad season with a crap car. Lewis is still ranked top 9 of the top 20 drivers in the world. This speaks volumes, imagine if he has a strong car with consistent performance. He will easily achieve consistent podiums again. Ferrari has made a ton of money announcing Lewis is joining their team and we all should be like LeClerc and welcome Lewis. Not doubt him.
Give him a great car and let him continue to break records and maintain his G.O.A.T. status
You are such an idiot hater. Lewis has out-driven George from the summer break of 2022 until the summer break of 2024 so 2 years out of the 3 years. The only time George has out-driven Lewis is the early part of 2022 when LH was trying to desperately try different set-ups to win while George was happy to at least be close to the front. This latest period where George has finished ahead of Lewis is obviously Mercedes completely favouring George to manipulate results for the driver staying. Anyone who thinks that is not the case is delusional and likely a hater. For two and half years the results between the two have been close but all of a sudden they are miles apart. Come on!! Given your head a shake and state the obvious truth!!
Why is it that Ecclestone has much to say about Lewis? He has so many problems of his own. Should he not focus on himself becoming a better person? Instead of casting doubt in the minds of others! He knows very well that what has happened to Lewis in Abu Dhabi was pure dishonesty, more so what has happened to Lewis for the past three was vindictiveness on the part of the strong guys in the Mercedes garage.
It’s fairly obvious this writer is no fan of LH. It’s almost comical, like they WISH for this to be the case. And Bernie? Really? That guy’s your reinforcer? C’mon now.
A new, legendary team. A better car and an even playing field? Sounds like a winning combination to me, so I can understand why haters or worried. They should be.
Has Bernie done a DNA test? Y’know given his net worth and age you just gotta make sure that it’s his blood that he leaves his legacy to…
What makes me happy is that most of Hamilton’s win came from him not from team orders we know this things. He is the greatest of all formula 1 sport any question you can ask man like Eddy Irvine, Ruben Barichelo, Fernando Alonso and die hard F1 lover they will tell you those who fear GOD they will speak the truth.