F1: Bernie Ecclestone claims Lewis Hamilton is ‘not the racer he was’ before Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Hamilton, the sport’s defending champion, heads into Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix winless from the opening three rounds of the season

Lewis Hamilton during practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton is “not the racer he was”, Formula One’s former supremo Bernie Ecclestone has claimed.

Hamilton, the sport’s defending champion, heads into Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix winless from the opening three rounds of the season. He has not won since last October’s race in the United States – a streak of six grands prix – and was a lowly fifth in practice in Baku on Friday.

“He doesn’t seem to be the Lewis that he was before,” said Ecclestone, who is in Azerbaijan this weekend. “When you talk to him, and see him act the way he acts, he’s not the racer he was.”

Hamilton is nine points adrift of championship leader Sebastian Vettel in the standings. The 33-year-old is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of the year and is yet to rubber-stamp his new deal. He insisted here on Thursday that he is, however, fully committed to Mercedes.

“He’s still very quick, still super talented and still a nice guy,” added Ecclestone, 87, who was speaking to Sky Sports News. “But maybe he is just getting a little bit tired of travelling and he is fed up with things.”

PA