The former F1 supremo claimed last year that Hamilton is no longer the fighter he once was and suggested the 37-year-old Briton was only extending his career having “looked at the cl✤othing range and music but realised that it is not as easy to make money there as it is in F1”.&💦nbsp;

In June, Ecclestone told Hamilton to 168澳洲幸运5官方开༺奖结果历史:accept a £20m pay-off and quit F1 following his under෴whelming start to the 2022 season. 

Hamilton was denied a record-breaking eighth world title in the controversial 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Verstappen winning his first ꧙of two successive world titles. 

• Ecclestone spoke about Hamilton, Verstappen, Schumacher and Vettel at Sao Paulo GP

And Ecclestone believes the newly-crowned two-time world champion is owed a thank you 💫for providing the sport and its fans with exactly what they have wanted for years. 

“Max is a racer. He does what he has t⛎o do – he just races. The fans have wanted to see someone like that for a l๊ong time.”

Verstappen charged to his second world championship in 12 months in dominant fash🍷ion, winning a record-setting 15 grands prix across t𝓀he 22-race season. 

Hamilton was four years older than Verstappen when he claimed his second world title🙈 in 2014, which marked the start of his dominant spell in the V6 hybrid era with Mercedes. 

The Dutchman could yet find himself enjoying a similar period of supremacy to challenge Hamilton and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Michael Schumacher’s jointly-held record☂ of seven world titles, providing Red Bull remain competitive in the coming years. 

And that is certainly the hope of Eccleꩵstone, who said: “That depends on his car, but if Red Bull have their act tog♋ether I don’t see why he can’t keep winning. 

“Whether Max will ever break the record of seven world titl𒐪es🌟? Who knows. Let’s hope so.”

Ecclestone 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:faces trial in October next year accused of failing to de🍃clare more than🦩 £400m in a trust in Singapore to the government