Bernie Ecclestone may not publicly control Formula 1 anymore but he’s no stranger to offering his opinion and handing out advice.
At the age of 94, Bernie Ecclestone is still keeping a close eye on what’s happening in the sport that he played a pivotal role in growing to the size it is today.
The calendar has expanded his he handed over control to Liberty Media and fans have more access than ever to their favourite drivers.
The man attracting the most attention in the paddock right now is Lewis Hamilton after his first appearance on a media day as a Ferrari driver.
Hamilton will be desperate for his move to Ferrari to lead a record eighth championship but he faces some stiff competition this season.
His new teammate Charles Leclerc ended 2024 in the best form of his career while McLaren are the early favourites with two talented drivers within their ranks.
It would also be a mistake to discount Max Verstappen even if there are question marks about how fast Red Bull’s latest challenger will be.
Ecclestone spoke to the Swiss outlet Blick ahead of the Australian Grand Prix about Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
He explained why team principal Frederic Vasseur might end up regretting his decision to part with Carlos Sainz to sign Hamilton and the vast improvement he expects from Williams as a result.
Bernie Ecclestone thinks Ferrari will ‘regret’ signing Lewis Hamilton
Ecclestone has already ruled out Hamilton extending his Ferrari contract beyond the initial two-year deal he signed.
However, Hamilton and Ecclestone agree on the return on the V10 engines but whether the seven-time world champion is still racing in F1 at that point is yet to be seen.
Talking about Hamilton’s winter move, Ecclestone stated: “Ferrari will regret this. And Carlos is now showing what he’s worth at Williams.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
“It was like that in my day: Give a team with a mediocre car one of the five best drivers in the field – and you’re in for a surprise.”
Hamilton will be desperate to prove Ecclestone and other doubters wrong once the lights go out in Melbourne.
Sainz will understand that he’s got the perfect opportunity to prove Ferrari wrong this season with Williams and could end up being the best of the rest behind the top four teams in 2025.
Carlos Sainz admits his father is ‘still disappointed’ that he signed for Williams over Sauber
Sainz was asked about how testing went in Bahrain with his new team and explained: “Of course,, it was a surprise for us too [setting the fastest time in testing].
“But the joy in the team is even more important than the fastest time.
“Everyone is working even harder now. We are flying to Australia with high hopes.”
READ MORE: Williams star Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height
Sainz then revealed that his father was still upset with the choice he made after leaving Ferrari.
He admitted: “My father Carlos is still disappointed that I didn’t opt for the great offer from Audi a few months ago.
“After my dream of switching to Red Bull or Mercedes was shattered, I had to choose between Audi, Alpine and Williams.
“After the factory visits and discussions, my gut instantly told me to go to Williams. They want a better future. And when my heart said yes, the decision was made.”
Sauber are in an awful position heading into 2025 and it’s no surprise that Sainz turned down the chance to join them even if the prospect of racing for Audi next year is appealing.
He’ll hope the optimism surrounding Williams’ medium-to-long-term future means that he made the right decision after joining his fifth different team in the paddock.
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