Max Verstappen told Ferrari switch would 'end his career'

Bernie Ecclestone has urged Max Verstappen to steer clear of Ferrari when considering his future beyond 2026.

“If he goes to Ferrari, that would be the end of his career. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” the former Formula 1 boss told sport.de.

Instead, Ecclestone said Verstappen can thrive wherever he lands, provided it is not Maranello, saying: “He can always turn a good team into a winning team.”

Hamilton’s current struggles at Ferrari serve as the cautionary tale. At 40, he left for the summer break calling himself “useless”, and Ecclestone believes the Scuderia should already be thinking about the next generation.

“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.”

He also questioned Ferrari’s ongoing management structure. “Unfortunately, the wrong people were chosen," said Ecclestone. "They need someone to bring a few people along.”

And on Hamilton specifically: “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.”

Gerhard Berger, speaking to Austria’s Krone Zeitung, agreed Hamilton is struggling to adapt. “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, get the car and his teammate under control. It’s entirely up to him.”

Ecclestone contrasted Hamilton’s woes with his view of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who heads into the post August-break period with a narrow championship lead.

"He gets the job done. When he makes mistakes, he knows he made them and doesn’t blame others or make excuses," said Ecclestone. "He makes sure he doesn’t repeat the mistakes. He doesn’t make them twice. He’s the best driver after Max Verstappen.”