Bernie Ecclestone, the former Formula One supremo, has urged Lewis Hamilton to put an end to his colorful non-racing forays, calling his interests “nonsense.”
Hamilton, a seven-time F1 world champion, has joined Ferrari for a reported £50 million per year after 12 years and six titles with Mercedes.
The 40-year-old British driver is desperate to win his eighth world title, which would put him ahead of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher in the all-time championship list.
However, Ecclestone, who has had run-ins with Hamilton in recent years, believes Hamilton will not even complete his two-year contract at the Scuderia and has expressed his views on the Brit’s fashion choices and other ventures.
“Lewis gets himself up front in a way where you can dislike him,” Ecclestone, 94, told The Telegraph.
“How can a guy who has won a few world titles and has a few dollars in the bank dress like this? I am not a fan of that.
“He’s a very talented driver. How much credit do people give him? No, but it’s enough to win races. I’m not sure why he does all this other nonsense. He needs to get out of the music industry and whatever else.”
When asked about Hamilton’s two-year deal at Ferrari, Ecclestone said, “He won’t last that long. Piero Ferrari, who took him there, still believes they did the right thing.
“I hope they did. I hope they haven’t jumped in and regretted it later.”
Hamilton chastised Ecclestone two years ago, insisting the 94-year-old should not be given a platform after the ex-F1 boss stated he would “take a bullet” for Russian President Vladimir Putin a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
However, Ecclestone has speculated about Hamilton’s age, noting that only three drivers in F1 history have won a world championship in their forties, the last of which was Sir Jack Brabham 59 years ago.
“I don’t think Lewis will get the same attention at Ferrari,” Ecclestone admits. “First and foremost, the team is pleased with his teammate, Charles Leclerc. Leclerc speaks their language [he is fluent in Italian], so they will look after him.
“Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived.”Drivers are judged based on how long they have been doing the same thing, not by their age.
“I thought to Lewis, ‘He’s getting tired. He’s lost motivation. If he had never won a world championship, things might have been different, because there would be an incentive to do so. “But he’s won seven.”
Hamilton’s value to Ferrari could exceed £100 million if he wins the world championship this year, and he has spent recent weeks adjusting to his new surroundings with a series of tests in Fiorano and Barcelona.
The British driver will attend the 10-team season launch event at The O2 Arena in London on Tuesday, February 18, before Ferrari unveils their 2025 car a day later in Maranello.
The official pre-season test will take place in Bahrain from February 26 to 28, before Hamilton’s first race in Ferrari red, the Australian Grand Prix, on March 16.