Former Formula boss Bernie Ecclestone says seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is on the nose at Mercedes, claiming the 37-year-old may quit the sport at the end of 2022.
Hamilton signed a two-year contract extension that runs until the end of 2023, but has struggled this season as Mercedes fights with a car that isn’t competitive against Red Bull and Ferrari.
Hamilton is sixth in the world championship, having never finished lower than fifth in his 15 seasons in F1. Unless his fortunes improve, he’s facing the prospect of his first ever winless season in F1, having made his debut for McLaren in 2007.
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Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ecclestone said relations between the British driver and team boss Toto Wolff are becoming strained.
“Toto is getting a bit fed up with Lewis,” he said.
“I don’t think he’s trying, do you? Let’s put it another way, Lewis doesn’t seem bothered about losing.
“It’s not like him. He has a competitive nature but he’s taking losing a bit easy for my liking.”
Hamilton’s new teammate, George Russell, sits fourth in the championship, having finished as the lead Mercedes driver in seven of the nine races so far.
The seven-time champion, meanwhile, has been turning up to races in what Ecclestone clearly feels is some questionable outfits.
“I don’t know what he is doing dressing up in all those funny clothes. Has he a deal to it? Is it to get noticed? Maybe that’s it,” Ecclestone said.
“I don’t think he is actively helping George Russell. I don’t think he’s doing anything. I don’t think he cares too much. He’s not prepared to put the effort into winning that he did.”
Although Hamilton has a contract for another season, the former F1 boss believes this year might be his last.
“Lewis might sell his position to Toto: ‘This is how much I am getting, I’ll step down and give me half of what I would get’.
“Toto can go and do one of his magic deals, offer someone less money and keep $35m.
“Nobody needs to tell Toto this because he has already thought of it. Lewis would probably stop under those circumstances”.
Ecclestone also dismissed Hamilton’s complaints about a sore back after the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which the world champion claimed was caused by the extreme bouncing, or porpoising, suffered by Mercedes.
“All bullshit,” Ecclestone said.
“George is taller and if it was going to happen to anyone it would have happened to him.
“There was a bit of Nigel Mansell about it. At least with Nigel, he would get out of the car and rub his left leg as if he had broken it. Next moment, it would be his right leg.”
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