After six seasons at McLaren, Hamilton left the Woking team at the end of 2012 to join Mercedes in a bombshell move to replace seven-time world champion168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Michael Schumacher, who retired from F1 for the second and final time. 

Although the move was seen as a huge gamble by many at the time, given McLaren was a front-running team and Merc🍨edes had enjoyed꧃ little success since returning to the sport in 2010, it proved to be a masterstroke. 

• Hamilton’s 2022 earnings revealed - it’s $17m less than 2021

Mercedes bosses Ross Brawn and Niki Lauda ultimately s🔯old the move to ♋Hamilton, who went on to win six F1 world championships in seven years. 

But according to Ecclestone, the move was🔯 in danger of collapsing over a pay dispute, which prompted him to step in and offer to financially support Mercedes. 

"Niki [Lauda] realised what a valua꧅ble driver Lewis was, and he found some way of persuading him [Lewis Hamilton)] he should be driving for Mercedes," Ecclestone said on the Disney+ documentary series ‘Lucky!’. 

“If he didn't get🅰 paid what he wanted, Le💜wis, he wasn't going to agree.

"So I said 'wel﷽l he's somebody🅺 that I think Mercedes needs, I'll pay the difference.' But eventually Mercedes paid.”

Ecclestone’s revelation may come as a surprise considering he has appeared to aim several digs 🌳at Hamilton in recent🌞 years. 

In 2021, Ecclestone claimed Ham🦄ilton is no longer the fighter he once was and suggested the 37-year-old Briton was only extending his career having “looked at the clothing range and music but realised that it is not aꦗs easy to make money there as it is in F1”. 

He later told Hamilton to accept a 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:£20m pay-off and quit F1 following an underwhelming start to the 2022 season, before saying he hopes arch rival 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen goes on to 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:beat the seven-time world champion’s re𝓰cords.