Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has offered his verdict on this season's Drivers' title fight and predicts that it's going to be Lewis Hamilton that takes the crown 'easily' ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

The 2021 season has got a real sense of intrigue and excitement about it at the moment with Hamilton seemingly set to go head-to-head with Verstappen in a title tussle that many fans of the sport have been predicting for a few years now.

Indeed, it's certainly been a close-run thing so far with the two exchanging first and second places but, after four rounds, it's the champion leading the challenger by 14 points in the Drivers' standings.

Hamilton, then, has three wins to his name so far this year in what has been his strongest ever start to a campaign and, for former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, there is only going to be one winner this year:

“Now this sport has two drivers at eye level again, like Senna and Prost in the past. But unfortunately, I have to take away the title hopes for 2021 from the supporters of this great fighter from Holland," Bernie said to Swiss outlet Blick.

“Hamilton is currently driving as well as he ever has. Also thanks to Verstappen. Lewis is cool, faultless, calm and clever.

lewis hamilton

“He doesn’t get involved in any hot duels and always respectfully gives his opponent the space he needs to survive.

“All this makes him even stronger in the cockpit. Verstappen may be his equal in terms of driving, but Lewis has the better team and the more reliable material behind him. And he can always rely on these two factors.

“Lewis will easily become World Champion for the eighth time without any special incidents.”

Ecclestone has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind and, at the moment, it's quite hard to argue against him.

Certainly, Hamilton has started in ominous form this year for Mercedes and the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend underlined the task that Max Verstappen and Red Bull have in trying to get the better of the whole package that driver, car and team have become at the Silver Arrows.