F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ecclestone: Hamilton should quit if Mercedes leaves F1

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton should call it a day on his career in F1 if Mercedes leaves the sport at the end of 2020.

While Mercedes has given no indication that it could pull out of F1 after next season, the prospect of the manufacturer's departure from Grand Prix racing isn't being dismissed.

Paradigm shifts in the automotive industry imply that F1 could become less relevant to Mercedes, but its overwhelming success in the sport - with six consecutive constructor and driver titles achieved in the last six years - also entails that its mission is complete.

Furthermore, rumors of Toto Wolff leaving the helm of the Silver Arrows outfit to take the reins of F1 from current CEO Chase Carey are also gaining momentum.

For Ecclestone, if Hamilton wins a seventh title next year - a feat that would put him level with Michael Schumacher in the history books - and Mercedes leaves the sport, the Briton should drive off into the sunset rather than seek a final challenge with Ferrari.

'There has been change at the top and the new people are not so enthusiastic about Formula One as the old people used to be.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes stopped," Ecclestone said at Interlagos, quoted by the Daily Mail.

"They might think we have won seven world championships — which they will have done by the end of next year — so why stay?

"If I were Lewis I'd think, 'I've won another title,' and I'd stop. If Charles Leclerc stays at Ferrari, I'd put money on him to win against Lewis. He's not necessarily better but he is established in the team.

"Ferrari is a strange place to work. Lewis doesn't speak Italian. They might gang up on him — or fall in love with him — but I don't think he would do as good a job for himself or the sport as he is doing with Mercedes."

Hamilton's current contract with Mercedes runs until the end of next year. But regardless of Mercedes' future, Ecclestone isn't sure Ferrari would up the ante to acquire the Briton's services, suggesting the Scuderia would perhaps prefer Max Verstappen whose deal with Red Bull also expires at the end of next year.

"If Ferrari had a choice of Lewis or Max Verstappen I think they would go for Max, for the same reason they like Charles," contends the 89-year-old.

"With Sebastian Vettel or Lewis they will only get a couple of years but with the younger two they might get 10 years. I'm not sure Max isn't the best guy at the moment, including Lewis."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

Marko: ‘No chance at all’ for Red Bull in Las Vegas

Helmut Marko believes that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are unlikely to challenge for victory…

3 hours ago

GM revives bid to join F1 with accelerated talks for 2026 entry

Automotive giant General Motors is reportedly back in the game as a potential entrant in…

5 hours ago

Las Vegas GP: Thursday's action in pictures

The opening day of running at the Las Vegas GP was a smooth but chilly…

6 hours ago

Williams' headaches persist into Vegas practice

Williams is continuing to fight uphill battles this weekend in Las Vegas as a knock-on…

7 hours ago

Ferrari's Sainz 'not satisfied with where we are' in Vegas

It was a solid start to the Las Vegas weekend for Ferrari with Carlos Sainz…

9 hours ago

Norris labels McLaren long-run pace ‘shocking’ in chilly Vegas

Lando Norris didn’t hold back in his assessment of McLaren’s performance on the opening day…

10 hours ago