Ecclestone Warns Verstappen Against Ferrari Move

Max Verstappen has been warned not to join Ferrari after 2026 by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

“If he goes to Ferrari, that would be the end of his career. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” the 94-year-old told sport.de.

Ecclestone, a frequent critic of both Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton, said Verstappen can succeed anywhere else other than Maranello. “He can always turn a good team into a winning team,” said the Briton.

Hamilton, now 40, is enduring a tough first season in red, having gone into the August break branding himself “useless”. Ecclestone thinks it’s time for change.

“They have to choose an up-and-coming driver. I would take the Brazilian (Gabriel) Bortoleto, who I think will be very good, or Isack Hadjar.

“Bortoleto will do the job. Put him in the right car and you’ll see.”

Ferrari, Ecclestone added, still suffers from poor leadership. “Unfortunately, the wrong people were chosen,” he said. “They need someone to bring a few people along.”

Returning to Hamilton, Ecclestone continued: “The most embarrassing thing, in my opinion, for Lewis and Ferrari is that they believed he would be able to deliver all the things that were necessary. They must be disappointed that what was supposed to be delivered was not delivered.”

Another F1 great, Gerhard Berger, told Austria’s Kronen Zeitung that Hamilton must now adjust to being behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

“Lewis was always used to being number 1 in a team,” said the former Ferrari driver. “Now Leclerc has him under control.

“But this is more of a morality tale – status shouldn’t play a role. Lewis is struggling with it, but he has to get out of it himself and get the car and his teammate under control.

“It’s entirely up to him.”

Ecclestone, meanwhile, praised current points leader Oscar Piastri. “He gets the job done,” he said of the McLaren driver.

“When he makes mistakes, he knows he made them and doesn’t blame others or make excuses,” he added. “He makes sure he doesn’t repeat the mistakes. He doesn’t make them twice.

“He’s the best driver after Max Verstappen.”