Lewis Hamilton gets Ferrari verdict as F1 legend | Sports News

Lewis Hamilton’s struggles at Ferrari have vindicated predictions that his transfer to the Italian crew would show tough.

Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone had warned earlier than Hamilton’s Ferrari change that competing towards Charles Leclerc would create important obstacles for the seven-time world champion.

The 95-year-old’s prediction has confirmed remarkably correct during what has been a disastrous season for Hamilton, who has failed to realize a single GP podium this yr. He finds himself caught in sixth place within the Drivers’ Championship rankings.

Hamilton sits a staggering 64 factors behind Leclerc, whereas his teammate has already claimed seven podiums, together with two in his most up-to-date races. His struggles at Maranello comply with a troubled last season at Mercedes, the place the 40-year-old was commonly crushed by George Russell in qualifying periods.

When predicting Hamilton’s future at Ferrari, Ecclestone informed the Daily Mail: “I don’t think it will be easy for Lewis. Especially in that team. They will back Charles Leclerc. He’s quick and has grown up there.

“They will not dump him for anybody. However, from Lewis’ level of view, it could not have been a mistake to hitch Ferrari. He could not exist any longer at Mercedes. Either he is given up with them or they’ve given up on him. They would not do a lot to keep him, so he’s higher off going.”

Signing what was reportedly a £50 million-a-year ($65.8 million) contract with Ferrari, Ecclestone suggested that if Hamilton were to decline, tearing up his deal would be the correct decision to make. “He must stroll away from a lot financially,” he added.

“It is a large deal he has bought, although I believe the bonus clauses written into his contract are there to make him really feel good relatively than actuality. For John Elkann, the man who runs it, it was a large ego factor.

“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 inform. If Lewis is fading, which I do not wish to see, he ought to go away and do one thing else, and do a good job at it. He’s now one of the older technology – and did not he say he needed to listen to much less from them?”

While Hamilton has suggested he has no intentions to discuss his future, his inconsistent form at Ferrari has been labeled as “horrible to watch” by ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert.

Despite claiming third position in qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix, Hamilton finished in eighth after being handed a 10-second penalty following a clash with Max Verstappen. After the race, which was won by Lando Norris, Herbert praised Hamilton’s enhanced qualifying display but voiced frustration over his continued race-day difficulties.

“A combined bag,” he described Hamilton’s race weekend. “It was good to see Lewis race with Max. I believed that was a great piece of racing. There was a little bit of wheel-banging, however that was the way in which racing ought to be.

“It was a late dive up the inside. Lewis probably wasn’t expecting it. It was another frustrating weekend for him. It was a better qualifying. He seemed to be happier with the qualifying performance. But then in the race it didn’t quite materialise.

“It simply did not click on for him. It simply appears to be an ongoing factor. It’s horrible to watch.”