Bernie Ecclestone believes that a “super team” at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport-built by paring Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton would be good for Formula 1.
Vettel, who is leaving Scuderia Ferrari at the end of the season, has provoked a shake-up in the driver market, with Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. set to take his seat, while Australian Daniel Ricciardo moves from the Renault F1 Team to take the vacant seat with the McLaren F1 Team.
The German does not yet have a drive for next season, but has previously been linked with Mercedes; team boss Toto Wolff says that signing Vettel is an appealing prospect.
Ecclestone has backed the idea of Vettel and Hamilton forming a partnership.
“I’d like to see him at Mercedes,” he said, speaking to RTL.
“I’d like to see him against Lewis Hamilton, I think that would be good for Formula 1, good for the sport, good for the people watching.”
He added: “I think both of them get along with each other without any problems. It’s not a case of what their egos are, both have super talent. So it would make a super, super team.
“I don’t see any problem with Lewis being concerned at all and I know Sebastian would love to have the opportunity to race against him.”
Ecclestone has also come up with a theory as to why Vettel has not been able to replicate his childhood hero Michael Schumacher‘s success with Ferrari.
“Michael’s situation with Ferrari was a little bit different because I once said to him, ‘who’s running the team?’ He said ‘I am.’ That’s probably the truth why they’re so successful.
“The trouble with Italians, they haven’t really got a lot of leaders…they haven’t got a leader in my opinion,” he said.