Lewis Hamilton urged to make shock call to stop 'cheating himself'

Lewis Hamilton has been urged to finally bring the curtain down on his Formula 1 career, otherwise, he is "cheating himself" if he opts to continue. That is the verdict of former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who feels that if he were managing the seven-time F1 champion, he would negotiate a severance deal with current employers Ferrari to leave at the end of the season. Ecclestone's advice comes in the wake of Hamilton's worst weekend of the season in Hungary and around a circuit where he is a record holder with eight victories, the most by any driver at a single circuit. After qualifying 12th, missing out on a place in the top-10 shoot-out by just 0.015s to Stake's Gabriel Bortoleto, Hamilton stunned all in F1 by the voracity of his self-criticism, describing himself as "useless" and that Ferrari should find another driver. Hamilton was undoubtedly hurt by the fact team-mate Charles Leclerc netted the Scuderia's first grand prix pole position of the season, with his mood not helped by the fact he finished the race where he started. Many, such as Hamilton's former boss at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, are convinced Hamilton still has what it takes to deliver, with next season targeted as the ideal opportunity when F1 embraces new regulations. Ecclestone, however, feels it is time Hamilton should quit. "Lewis is very talented, was, and probably still is," said Ecclestone, speaking to the Daily Mail . "But like a lot of leading sports personalities, when they reach the top, there is only one way to go, and it's not a good direction. It's only down. "They get tired. Lewis is tired. He's been doing what he is doing forever. He needs a rest from it for good, a total reset to do something completely different. "He may not think it, but he will soon get used to doing other stuff away from motor racing in retirement. I think he should have done it a while ago. "The guy is not a cheat. But he would be cheating himself if he goes on. He should stop now." [Article continues below] Hamilton should negotiate exit with Ferrari Ecclestone appreciates Hamilton was signed by Ferrari, and a good friend in team principal Fred Vasseur, "because they thought he could do a job". Other than a sprint victory in the second race weekend of the season in China, that has not happened. Hamilton has yet to score a podium, in contrast to the five from Leclerc. "If I were looking after him, I would negotiate with Ferrari immediately and say, 'If you have someone to replace Lewis, he'll step aside'," remarked the 94-year-old Ecclestone. "If I were Lewis, I would say to Ferrari that I wanted to be paid all of my contract, in full. '[He should say] 'It isn't working, so I can make way if you want me to, but that's the arrangement'. "It could work for both parties."