Ex-Formula 1 rights holder Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton will have “a lot of enemies” at Ferrari due to Charles Leclerc’s standing with the team.
Ecclestone, who ceded commercial rights of F1 when Liberty Media purchased them ahead of the 2017 season isn’t shy when it comes to critiquing Hamilton.
His latest comments are a fearful verdict that the Scuderia signing the seven-time champion will be a mistake.
Hamilton has a multi-year deal supposedly running three years but in conversation with the Telegraph, Ecclestone said “He won’t last that long.
“Piero Ferrari, who has taken him there, still thinks they’ve done the right thing,” adds Ecclestone.
“I hope they have. I hope they haven’t just jumped in and end up wishing they hadn’t.”
‘Hamilton has lost motivation’ – Ecclestone
After 12 years at Mercedes, Hamilton, 40, is seeking a new challenge with Ferrari amid hopes to claim a record eight Drivers’ title.
Just three drivers aged 40 or over have managed this, the last being Jack Brabham in 1966.
At many points during his final, turbulent season with Mercedes, Hamilton cut an unmotivated figure, but his jubilation upon arriving in Maranello shows a figure with a new lease of life, likening his first laps in a Ferrari to his debut run in an F1 car.
Still, Ecclestone thinks Hamilton is unmotivated.
“I have my theory about this,” he said.
“It’s not the age with drivers, 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.”
Hamilton joins new team-mate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari with the Monegasque driver having enjoyed six seasons with the Italian marque who signed him as an academy driver in his teenage years.
Ecclestone believes due to Leclerc’s strong foundation in the team, Hamilton will have “enemies” at Ferrari.
“The team is happy with Charles Leclerc, his team-mate,” Ecclestone said.
“Leclerc speaks their language [Italian], so they’ll be looking after him.
“Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived.”
It’s a view that strikes in direct opposition to the collective thoughts of Piero Ferrari, Team Principal Fred Vasseur, Leclerc and the 1000s of Tifosi who welcomed Hamilton to Maranello last month with warmth, positivity and cheers.
Ecclestone takes issue with Hamilton’s off-track exploits
Beyond his judgement of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Ecclestone’s comments to the Telegraph also critiqued his off-track exploits.
The critiques point to Hamilton’s fashion sense and music exploits.
“Lewis gets himself up front in a way where you can dislike him,” Ecclestone said.
“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.”
However, Hamilton isn’t alone in expressing his fashion tastes in the F1 paddock, even if he is the man who was at the forefront of such an expression.
The same goes for his musical exploits, with team-mate Leclerc having released several tracks on Spotify thanks to his passion for the piano.
These ingredients make up the modern F1 driver and contributed to Hamilton’s move to Ferrari drawing worldwide attention.
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