Ecclestone tells Hamilton to stop moaning

Bernie Ecclestone has told reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton to stop "moaning". Although the Mercedes driver has been generally more cheerful in 2016, the F1 supremo was apparently referring to Hamilton saying recent stewards decisions remind him of an "a------" karting official in his past.

"I told him to get on with it because there are 17 races left," Ecclestone told London's Times newspaper.

"It is not the end of the world. He wasn't moaning when he was winning, was he? Lewis has to learn," the 85-year-old Briton added.

"He is still going to win this world championship. I absolutely believe that," said Ecclestone.

1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, however, is not so sure, arguing that Nico Rosberg currently looks strong enough to stay ahead of Hamilton.

"This year he is more hungry for success than Lewis is," the Canadian told Russia's Championat. "I think that makes a difference in their results at the moment.

"Of course Hamilton still wants to win, but my feeling is that success is no longer as important to him as before, for some reason.

"But I'm sure he will wake up at some point," Villeneuve added. "He will start to be criticised and will lose fans, which he won't like."