Lewis Hamilton 'has Ferrari enemies' as Bernie Ecclestone rips into clothes and F1 deal

Lewis Hamilton has been told that helium whitethorn conflict to marque an instant interaction astatine Ferrari pursuing his power to the Italian squad up of the 2025 Formula One season

Former F1 brag Bernie Ecclestone has told Lewis Hamilton he'll look "a batch of enemies" astatine Ferrari pursuing the Brit's power from Mercedes.

The 40-year-old is seeking a caller opening with the iconic Italian squad aft a palmy 12-year stint astatine Brackley, wherever helium bagged six of his 7 Drivers' Championship titles. However, the modulation whitethorn not beryllium creaseless sailing, arsenic Hamilton has lone precocious begun learning Italian, a connection prevalent successful the Ferrari team.

Ecclestone, 94, expressed doubts astir Hamilton receiving the aforesaid level of enactment helium enjoyed astatine Mercedes, particularly since his team-mate Charles Leclerc is already well-integrated and speaks fluent Italian. "I don't deliberation Lewis volition get the aforesaid attraction astatine Ferrari," Ecclestone, 94, told The Telegraph.

"Firstly, the squad are blessed with Charles Leclerc, his team-mate. Leclerc speaks their connection [he's fluent successful Italian], truthful they'll beryllium looking aft him. Even if Lewis does well, there'll inactive beryllium a batch of enemies, due to the fact that helium has abruptly arrived. It's not the property with drivers, it's however agelong they person been doing the aforesaid thing."

When asked if the 13-year property spread betwixt Hamilton and Leclerc mightiness person an interaction connected their relationship, Ecclestone replied: "I person my mentation astir this. It's not the property with drivers, it's however agelong they person been doing the aforesaid thing.

"I person thought with Lewis, 'He's getting tired. He has mislaid motivation'. If helium had ne'er won a world championship, it mightiness beryllium different, due to the fact that past determination would beryllium an inducement to triumph one. But helium has won seven."

During his highly-anticipated unveiling astatine Ferrari's Maranello base, Hamilton made a typically beardown manner connection by pairing a suave achromatic suit with a achromatic overcoat. His attire drew acclaim from each quarters of the F1 sphere, arsenic good arsenic manner outlets crossed the world, but Ecclestone wasn't peculiarly impressed.

"Lewis gets himself up beforehand successful a mode wherever you tin dislike him," helium said. "How a feline who has won a fewer satellite titles and has a fewer dollars successful the slope tin formal the mode helium dresses? I'm not a instrumentality of that."

Hamilton's signifier has dipped noticeably since helium surrendered his F1 rubric to Max Verstappen successful 2021, though galore property his diminution to Mercedes' driblet successful performance. He ended a 945-day drought to unafraid his 104th contention triumph astatine Silverstone aft his squad faced challenges adapting to the caller regulations introduced successful 2022.

The Stevenage-born operator is present targeting his eighth championship, which would spot him determination supra Michael Schumacher and go the astir palmy operator successful F1 history. However, Ecclestone believes that helium whitethorn not beryllium arsenic talented arsenic galore radical assertion - and doesn't deliberation he'll past 2 seasons astatine Ferrari, contempt signing a woody to astatine slightest 2026.

"He has a batch of endowment arsenic a driver. As overmuch arsenic radical recognition him with? No, but inactive capable to triumph races," helium said. "I don’t cognize wherefore helium does each this different nonsense. He needs to get retired of the euphony concern and immoderate else... He won’t past that agelong [at Ferrari]."