Ecclestone: "Hamilton is world champion"

Bernie Ecclestone has seen more F1 seasons than most people out there and the former F1 tycoon has revealed that he believes the championship race is a foregone conclusion, and Lewis Hamilton is already the champion.

Hamilton has a 40-point lead over Sebastian Vettel with just six races remaining and it is looking overwhelmingly likely that the 33-year old Brit will win his fifth world title and his fourth in five years.

He has won four of the last six races, including a dominating performance at the Singapore Grand Prix last week.

Ecclestone rain F1 for a number of years following a long period as team manager of Brabham.

Ecclestone also criticised Ferrari, saying that they have thrown it away with strategy in the last two races.

Vettel was affected by Kimi Raikkonen at the start of the Italian Grand Prix before tangling with Hamilton, and in Singapore he was jumped by Max Verstappen in the pit stops.

Ecclestone told Blick newspaper: “Everything is already decided. Hamilton is world champion.

“Unfortunately Ferrari messed it up in Monza and Singapore with the strategy.”