Ex-Formula 1 main enforcement Bernie Ecclestone has made the worrying prediction that Lewis Hamilton volition discontinue pursuing the contentious extremity to the 2021 rubric battle.
That's contempt Mercedes brag Toto Wolff ensuring the seven-time satellite champion isn't astir to telephone clip connected his illustrious career.
Hamilton's archetypal rubric situation successful 5 years ended successful polarising scenes erstwhile Red Bull's Max Verstappen surged past him connected the last thigh of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, taking vantage of a arguable safety-car process to triumph his archetypal satellite championship.
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Mercedes lodged 2 protests against the result of the expansive prix but withdrew its lawsuit respective days later.
Hamilton is successful request of conscionable 1 much rubric to interruption his deadlock with Michael Schumacher, but Ecclestone believes the Briton would beryllium truthful devastated that he's not funny successful continuing.
"I don't deliberation helium is coming back. I deliberation helium volition not contention adjacent year," Ecclestone told Switzerland-based work Blick.
"His disappointment successful Abu Dhabi was excessively large and I recognize him.
"Now, tied for 7 titles with Michael Schumacher, it is the cleanable clip for him to fulfill his imagination and beryllium a manner entrepreneur."
Ecclestone speculated that the changes to Formula 1 cars acceptable to beryllium introduced successful 2022 could halt Hamilton's long-standing dominance.
Among the big of changes are a counterattack against 'dirty air', which leads to immense downforce loss. The anticipation is that alteration volition pb to person racing and much overtakes.
"Lewis could lone suffer successful 2022," Ecclestone said.
"Who knows however the caller cars volition reposition the field?
"With (incoming Mercedes teammate) George Russell, helium would person an ambitious teammate, of whom I americium not arsenic convinced arsenic galore experts, by the way.
"And past we don't hide astir Verstappen. With him, Hamilton has yet recovered an adjacent hostile aft galore years."
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Mercedes brag Wolff admitted helium and Hamilton were "disillusioned" pursuing the events of Abu Dhabi, but helium said the large vocation the 36-year-old had already carved retired should spur him connected to continue.
"I deliberation helium should conscionable look backmost astatine what helium has achieved already," Wolff said.
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"That should springiness him a batch of comfortableness and should besides beryllium that thrust to conscionable support connected going, due to the fact that helium is inactive trying to situation for that eighth rubric and for definite helium tin bash that again adjacent year.
"So I don't spot immoderate crushed wherefore to springiness up oregon halt now."
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