{"id":33863,"date":"2024-01-19T12:29:11","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T12:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?p=33863"},"modified":"2024-01-19T12:29:14","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T12:29:14","slug":"bernie-ecclestone-warns-lewis-hamilton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/bernie-ecclestone-warns-lewis-hamilton\/","title":{"rendered":"Bernie Ecclestone warns Lewis Hamilton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ex-Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone doesn’t think Mercedes will take the fight to Red Bull in 2024, with him believing that if “anyone can do it”, it’ll be Ferrari. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mercedes finished second in the Constructors’ Championship last season and finished narrowly ahead of Ferrari, following a late-season scrap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite beating the Italians being a positive for the Silver Arrows, they still found themselves a staggering 490 points behind Red Bull. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Bull were almost unbeatable in 2023, with the Austrians having won all but one race, as a result of Carlos Sainz winning the Singapore Grand Prix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The general expectation is for the reigning Constructors Champions’ dominance to continue this year and likely 2025 as well, because of their performance advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also have the secret weapon that is Max Verstappen, who has now claimed three Drivers’ Championships in a row. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Bull’s dominance hasn’t come easily for them, as pointed out by Ecclestone, with the 93-year-old noting how they had to “patiently” endure Mercedes’ superior period whilst trying to make themselves better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They patiently endured the Mercedes victories of previous years, replacing each weak link one by one,” Ecclestone told the German magazine Sport Bild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They now have the best team, the best design, the best car, the best driver. They did an excellent job.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ecclestone doesn’t see anything drastically changing in 2024 because of how strong Red Bull currently are, although he has given a more in-depth reason as to why he thinks Ferrari are more likely to compete with them than Mercedes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ex-F1 supremo believes George Russell isn’t “as good as he thought he was” and that Lewis Hamilton has now “slacked off a bit”, making defeating Red Bull an impossible task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Mercedes driver provides update on 2024 #F1<\/a> car https:\/\/t.co\/rwtIed45bR<\/a><\/p>— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) January 17, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>