Ecclestone cautions Verstappen about a potential switch to Ferrari.

      "If he moves to Ferrari, that would mark the end of his career."

      Max Verstappen has received a warning from former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone not to join Ferrari after 2026. "If he goes to Ferrari, that would be the end of his career. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen," the 94-year-old stated to sport.de. Ecclestone, who often criticizes both Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton, believes Verstappen has the potential to thrive anywhere except Maranello. "He can always transform a good team into a winning one," the British businessman remarked.

      Hamilton, now 40, is having a challenging first season with Ferrari, having referred to himself as "useless" during the August break. Ecclestone believes it's time for a change. "They need to select an emerging driver. I would choose the Brazilian (Gabriel) Bortoleto, whom I think will be very promising, or Isack Hadjar. Bortoleto will perform well. If you put him in the right car, you'll see."

      Ecclestone added that Ferrari continues to struggle due to poor leadership. "Unfortunately, the wrong individuals were selected," he noted. "They require someone to guide a few people along." Turning back to Hamilton, Ecclestone remarked, "In my view, the most embarrassing aspect for Lewis and Ferrari is that they believed he would be able to achieve everything that was needed. They must be disappointed that the expected results weren't delivered."

      Another F1 legend, Gerhard Berger, commented to Austria’s Kronen Zeitung that Hamilton now needs to adapt to being behind teammate Charles Leclerc. "Lewis has always been accustomed to being the number 1 driver in a team," said the former Ferrari racer. "Now Leclerc has him under control. But this is more about moral values – status shouldn’t matter. Lewis is finding it tough, but he has to overcome this himself and manage both the car and his teammate."

      "It’s completely in his hands." Meanwhile, Ecclestone commended current points leader Oscar Piastri. "He gets the job done," he said of the McLaren racer. "When he makes errors, he is aware of them and doesn’t blame others or make excuses. He ensures he doesn’t repeat those mistakes. He doesn’t make the same mistakes twice. He is the best driver after Max Verstappen."