Bernie Ecclestone Predicts Lewis Hamilton Won’t Secure Another World Title Ahead of Ferrari Move

Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone has cast doubt on Lewis Hamilton’s chances of winning another world championship as the Mercedes driver prepares for his highly anticipated switch to Ferrari in 2025. Ecclestone, who ran F1 from 1987 to 2017, believes the Scuderia will prioritize rising star Charles Leclerc over Hamilton, leaving the seven-time world champion with an uphill battle.

With Hamilton currently sitting seventh in the drivers’ standings, speculation has emerged over whether the 39-year-old can reclaim his former glory. Ecclestone, however, is doubtful. “I believe he won’t,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail when asked if Hamilton could secure a record-breaking eighth title. “I don’t think it will be easy for Lewis, especially in that team. They [Ferrari] will back Charles Leclerc; he’s quick and has grown up there. They won’t dump him for anyone.”

According to Ecclestone, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari might be the only path forward after a challenging period at Mercedes, where the British driver has won six of his seven titles. “From Lewis’ point of view, it may not have been a mistake to join Ferrari. He couldn’t exist any longer at Mercedes,” Ecclestone said. “Either he’s given up with them or they have given up on him. They wouldn’t do much to keep him, so he is better off going.”

Ecclestone also suggested that Ferrari’s executive chairman, John Elkann, might have sought Hamilton as a high-profile acquisition. “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,” Ecclestone explained. “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.”

Reflecting on Hamilton’s current trajectory, Ecclestone hinted that the driver might consider retiring if his form continues to decline. “If Lewis is fading, which I don’t like to see, he should go away and do something else and do a good job at it,” he remarked, adding that only time will reveal whether Elkann’s bet on Hamilton pays off.