Bernie tells Lewis to forget Ferrari and stay with Mercedes
formula 1
Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton should stick with Mercedes rather than sign for Ferrari when his current contract runs out at the end of this season.
The 35-year-old Mercedes driver can have his pick of the Formula One teams but Ecclestone has warned him off choosing the Italian manufacturer.
Hamilton had been due to start his bid for a seventh F1 world title in Australia this weekend before the first race of the season was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ecclestone believes Hamilton would be better served staying with what he knows at Mercedes rather than move to Ferrari if he decides to continue his F1 career.
Former F1 supremo Ecclestone said: “If I were Lewis I would stay with Mercedes.
“He is comfortable there. He is in charge. He’s got the guy who turns the lights on and off supporting him in team principal Toto Wolff.
“It wouldn’t work at Ferrari for him.”
Meanwhile, the Dutch Grand Prix will be the next race pulled from Formula One’s coronavirus-hit schedule.
There were conflicting messages as to when the new season might start after the curtainraiser in Australia was cancelled, with subsequent races in Bahrain, Vietnam and China postponed.
F1’s governing body, the FIA, issued a statement to indicate the campaign could get under way at the beginning of May – in time for the race in Holland.
F1, however, said the end of May is now the target. And the PA news agency understands that the Dutch round, scheduled for May 3 will be postponed. Official confirmation is expected at the start of next week.
It is hoped that the Zandvoort race, which returns to the calendar after an absence of 35 years, could be moved to August, with the sport’s traditional summer break scrapped.