Latest news with #BernieEcclestone
News.com.au
06-08-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Formula 1 supremo hits Lewis Hamilton with blunt reality check
Lewis Hamilton has been told to quit F1 and demand his $AUD370 million Ferrari contract is paid in full. The seven-time world champion caused shockwaves at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend after admitting he was 'absolutely useless'. Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every practice, qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Hamilton, 40, finished 12th in qualifying and called for Ferrari to 'change driver' after the result. He was equally as despondent after finishing 12th in the Grand Prix, and now Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has told him to quit the sport. 'Lewis is very talented, was and probably still is,' Ecclestone told the Daily Mail. '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. 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. 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.'' Hamilton has not got off to the best start in his three-year contract with Ferrari, which is worth $A123m a season. His teammate Charles Leclerc qualified on pole in Hungary and has out qualified Hamilton ten times, with the Brit quicker on just two occasions. He has also failed to podium in 14 attempts with his only success this season coming in China when he won the sprint race. Ecclestone shared concern for Hamilton and advised him to retire to avoid the risk of racing. 'I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Lewis,' he added. '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.' The Formula 1 supremo said if Hamilton were to step aside, Ferrari should target Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar or Kick Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto to drive alongside Leclerc.
The Independent
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Former F1 boss tells Lewis Hamilton to retire
Bernie Ecclestone has urged Lewis Hamilton to retire from Formula One, citing the driver 's recent struggles at Ferrari. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, has failed to secure a podium finish in his first 14 races for Ferrari and recently finished 12th in Hungary. Ecclestone, the former F1 supremo, believes Hamilton is tired and should have retired 'a while ago', suggesting he would be 'cheating himself' by continuing. The 94-year-old also advised Hamilton to negotiate with Ferrari to have his £50m-a-year contract paid out in full if he were to step aside. Hamilton himself has expressed frustration, calling his performance 'useless' and hinting at 'background' issues at Ferrari.
The Sun
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Lewis Hamilton told to QUIT F1 and demand £180m contract in full before ‘anything bad happens'
LEWIS HAMILTON has been told to quit F1 and demand his £180million Ferrari contract is paid in full. The seven-time world champion caused shockwaves at the Hungarian grand prix last weekend after admititng he was "absolutely useless". 2 2 Hamilton, 40, finished 12th in qualifying and called for Ferrari to "change driver" after the result. He was equally as despondent after finishing 12th in the grand prix, and now Bernie Ecclestone has told him to quit the sport. Ecclestone told the Daily Mail: "Lewis is very talented, was and probably still is. "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. 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. 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.'" Hamilton has not got off to the best start in his three-year contract with Ferrari, which is worth £60m a season. His team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified on pole in Hungary and has out qualified Hamilton ten times, with the Brit quicker on just two occasions. Toto Wolff defends F1 driver Lewis Hamilton after 'useless' comments He has also failed to podium in 14 attempts with his only success this season coming in China when he won the sprint race. Ecclestone shared concern for Hamtilon and advised him to retire to avoid the risk of racing. He continued: "I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Lewis. "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."
The Independent
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Bernie Ecclestone urges Lewis Hamilton to retire from F1: ‘He is tired'
Bernie Ecclestone has urged Lewis Hamilton to retire from Formula One amid his torrid start to life at Ferrari. Seven-time world champion Hamilton, 40, has failed to secure a podium in his first 14 races for the Scuderia and was despondent last weekend, after qualifying and finishing 12th in Hungary. Hamilton moved to Ferrari after six titles and 12 years at Mercedes amid much fanfare but, aside from a sprint race win in China, has struggled in a Ferrari car yet to pick up a victory this season, his 19th in the sport. Ecclestone, who was in charge of F1 for 40 years before relinquishing control to Liberty Media in 2017, believes Hamilton would be 'cheating himself' if he decided to continue and should have retired 'a while ago.' 'Lewis is very talented, was and probably still is,' Ecclestone, 94, told the Daily Mail. '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. 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. 'I think he should have done it a while ago.' Ecclestone added that Hamilton, who is in the first year of a £50m-a-year deal lasting two seasons, should look to get his contract paid out in full. 'The guy is not a cheat, but he would be cheating himself if he goes on,' Ecclestone added. '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.' Hamilton labelled himself 'useless' and even stated Ferrari should look for a driver to replace him after his performance in qualifying in Budapest. While teammate Charles Leclerc secured pole position, Hamilton failed to make Q3. A day later, he hinted at 'background' issues at Ferrari, before saying he was 'very much' looking forward to the four-week summer break before the next round in the Netherlands on 31 August. 'I look forward to coming back, hopefully I will be back, yeah.'
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
F1 legend tells Lewis Hamilton to QUIT the sport before 'anything bad' happens to him
Bernie Ecclestone today urged Lewis Hamilton to quit Formula One immediately, and to get his Ferrari contract paid out in full before 'anything bad' happens to him. The advice came as Hamilton's future is in the balance following a calamitous Hungarian Grand Prix at the weekend. After qualifying only 12th while his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc took pole, the seven-time world champion called himself 'absolutely useless' and suggested Ferrari should replace him. Hamilton stood by those sentiments after finishing 12th on Sunday. Nonetheless, he indicated he would probably return after Formula One's brief summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31. But Ecclestone, the sport's godfather, is opposed to Hamilton persevering a race longer. 'Lewis is very talented, was and probably still is,' the 94-year-old told Mail Sport from Portugal. '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. 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. 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.'' Hamilton is in the first year of a three-year deal with Ferrari worth £60million per annum, since his move from Mercedes in a transfer that electrified Formula One. But aged 40, he has struggled to recreate the excellence of his younger days. Without a podium appearances in 14 attempts, he has been out-qualified by Leclerc 10 times and only twice beaten his colleague in grands prix, though he won the sprint race in China with aplomb. Ecclestone, who masterminded Formula One for 40 years before Liberty Media bought the business in 2017, spent the weekend at the Budapest race he established behind the Iron Curtain in 1986 and observed Hamilton at close quarters. He said: '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.' Ecclestone managed two drivers who died racing, Stuart Lewis-Evans, in 1958, and Jochen Rindt, the only posthumous world champion, in 1970. Both tragedies hit him hard. Aware of the dangers involved in Formula One, Ecclestone said: 'I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Lewis. 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.' As for a replacement, Ecclestone has two suggestions for the hierarchy at Maranello. 'If I could steal him, I'd take Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls,' he said. 'He has done super well in his first year and is a great guy. 'I also rate our friend from Brazil (Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto). He is talented. Both of them are sensible, too.' However, Hamilton's old Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes his former star driver should continue next season, when new a new generation of cars is introduced. The Austrian said: 'Lewis has unfinished business in Formula One. 'In the same way Mercedes underperformed in the latest set of regulations since 2022, it hit him. Maybe it is linked to driving style. 'So he shouldn't go anywhere next year. It's brand new cars, which will be completely different to drive, and new power units, so it is absolutely on for Lewis in 2026, and hopefully for many more years. 'If he has confidence in the car, there is no reason he cannot win an eighth world title.'
