Eddie Jordan has urged Ferrari to back out of the deal to sign Lewis Hamilton who is “f**ked” without 100 per cent self-belief.

This weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks the final race for Hamilton as a Mercedes driver – the team he has won six of his seven World titles with since joining in 2013 – as he prepares to start a fresh career chapter with Ferrari from 2025. However, the Mercedes farewell tour has dropped to new lows.

Lewis Hamilton told ‘always think about the best exit’

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

One-lap performance has been a source of great frustration for Hamilton in F1 2024 – Mercedes team-mate George Russell holding a comprehensive 18-5 lead in that head-to-head – with Russell half a second up the road in Qatar, leading to Hamilton declaring after Sprint qualifying that: “I’m just slow, same every weekend. Car felt relatively decent, no issues, and not really much more to say.”

And when it was put to Hamilton by the interviewer that “we know this isn’t a ‘you’ thing”, Hamilton, with a smile, responded: “Who knows? I’m definitely not fast anymore.”

Those comments are of great concern to ex-F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, who reflected on how encouraging people to “believe” is a major part of his philosophy to motivate. And looking at the situation with Hamilton, he urges Ferrari to cut their losses.

Race day in Qatar saw Hamilton’s woes worsen as he picked up separate penalties for a jump start and speeding in the pit lane, while he also picked up a puncture and was heard asking Mercedes over team radio to retire the car.

“If you don’t believe 100 per cent, you’re f**ked. Do you understand that?” Jordan said on the Formula For Success podcast.

“Because belief, 99.9 per cent, means that there is that tiny, little, little thing in there knocking on your head that gives you the things that maybe, ‘Oh, I don’t really have that confidence. I don’t really have the ability’.

“And at the moment what I heard from Lewis, I’m not fast enough anymore, they were the words, I think.

“Honestly, if I was Ferrari, I would say close the book, find the way out. That’s it.”

Jordan would go as far as to compare Hamilton’s situation to that of Sergio Perez at Red Bull, with Abu Dhabi likely to be the Mexican’s final race with the team.

“He’s not performing, and I don’t care whether the car is good, bad or indifferent,” Jordan added in reference to Hamilton. “His team-mate, just like Max is doing to Perez, he’s completely dominating him.”

F1 2024 head-to-heads going into Abu Dhabi season finale

👉 F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

👉 F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Therefore, Jordan is telling Hamilton – the most successful driver in F1 history – that this is the time for him to depart and focus on his growing collection of hobbies and businesses outside of the F1 circle.

“I think also, if it’s a little message to you, Lewis, if you’re out there, always remember in life, you’ve got your music, you’ve got your fashion, you’ve got all sorts of other things,” Jordan continued.

“You are, in most people’s view, the greatest driver of all time. Please remember what I’m going to say to you.

“Always, always think about the best exit. And this is the time to take the money off the table. Go.

“Fact is, Lewis, you are an amazing ambassador. We absolutely adore you, but don’t put yourself in a position where we think less of you because you’re marking time out at Ferrari. That’s all I will say.”

However, Ferrari do not appear interested in offering Hamilton that out, as team boss Fred Vasseur – who was ART boss when Hamilton was winning titles on the junior scene – is not concerned by what he heard from the seven-time World Champion in Qatar.

His evidence was Las Vegas, where Hamilton went from P10 on the grid to runner-up at the chequered flag.

Asked by the media, including PlanetF1.com, if he is worried by what Hamilton said in Qatar, Vasseur replied: “Not at all.

“Have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas.

“Starting P10, finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I’m not worried at all.”

Read next: ‘This is really it’ – Lewis Hamilton’s poignant message to Mercedes