Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Lewis Hamilton is 'not quite the fighter that he was,' in an interview ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix.

Hamilton is up against it this season as he looks to defend his title and achieve a record-breaking eighth crown in the sport.

Indeed, Red Bull and Max Verstappen are leading the way in both the Constructors' and Drivers' standings as things stand and Mercedes and Hamilton will need to turn that around in the second half of the campaign.

They'll have to fight to do so, too, but Ecclestone isn't sure whether Lewis has it in him to do so anymore, in some fairly frank comments taken by the PA News Agency.

“I have spoken to lots of people about this and perhaps Lewis is not quite the fighter that he was,” Ecclestone said.

“There are lots of occasions this year where he could have done better and he hasn’t. He hasn’t had any competition, the equipment has always been super, and he hasn’t really had to make the effort. But now maybe he is thinking that he better take it a bit easier.

“At the beginning of the year, I thought he would look to win the championship and then retire. But it appears not, even though I wouldn’t rely too much on contracts. He can escape from that.

“He probably had a look at the clothing range and music but realised that it is not as easy to make money there as it is in Formula One.”

Certainly, the reigning champ will need every ounce of fight that he does have to prevent Red Bull and Verstappen taking the titles this season and, for many, if the Briton could win it this year it could well be seen as his best championship victory of all.