Bernie Ecclestone fires shot at Lewis Hamilton: 'He won when there was less competition'

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton has no chance of winning an eighth world title with Ferrari, taking a swipe at the British driver’s previous success.

Ecclestone oversaw F1 for over 40 years, transforming it into the global sport it is today.

The 94-year-old was present in the Austria paddock, where he stood on the podium for the first time in his life to present race winner Lando Norris with a winner’s medal.

Ecclestone has often been critical of Hamilton over the years, frequently referencing the seven-time champion’s interests and lifestyle away from the track.

Speaking to Sky Sports before the race, Ecclestone was asked whether Hamilton will win an eighth drivers’ crown before he retires.

Ecclestone bluntly responded: “No.”

Elaborating on his opinion, Ecclestone said Hamilton was “fortunate” earlier in his career to face less competition, likely referencing his dominant stint at Mercedes.

“I think he was fortunate enough to be around when... firstly there wasn’t so much competition, so it was a little bit easier,” Ecclestone explained.

“And now he’s got competitors, which when he was winning everything, he didn’t have too many people at the top of the tree.

“But I hope, I mean, he still can get the job done. Whether he can win the world championship where he is, it’s a completely different story.”

Hamilton’s tough start to life at Ferrari

Hamilton’s Ferrari career has been far from smooth.

Despite a wave of pre-season hype, the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership hasn’t lived up to expectations. The seven-time champion has yet to finish on the podium with Ferrari in 2025.

The highlight of his season so far was a sprint race win at the Chinese Grand Prix, but Hamilton has been consistently outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc this year.

Unlike his time at Mercedes alongside George Russell, Hamilton has struggled in race trim at Ferrari. After the Austrian GP, he admitted his performances were simply “not good enough.”