text: Bernie Ecclestone has urged Lewis Hamilton to think the unthinkable — and consider a move from Mercedes to Ferrari. Formula One’s puppeteer, who still pulls virtually every string in the paddock at the age of 84, was speaking after calling Hamilton in for talks at his office in Bahrain. Hamilton, 30, has yet to put pen to paper on a new contract with Mercedes. He says that only small details need finalising, but until the ink is dry there are no guarantees he will stay. Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone with Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain . Nico Rosberg got the better of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain second practice . Rosberg was slower in sectors one and two of FP2 but a mistake from Hamilton gifted him first place . Hamilton takes a corner in Sakhir, Bahrain ahead of Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel . That leaves the door ajar for Hamilton to team up with Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari to settle which of the pair, who hold six world titles between them, is the better driver. ‘It would be great to see Lewis at Ferrari,’ said Ecclestone ahead of practice for Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix. ‘Whether Sebastian would want that, I really don’t know. But if Lewis went there, it would be great for the sport — 100 per cent.’ Every racer dreams of driving the red car of Ferrari and, given their improvement in pace this season, they are an attractive proposition. Hamilton is helped given the fact that Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has admitted privately that he covets the Brit, rating him as the star driver of his generation. Another team principal suggested Ferrari might approach Hamilton’s camp out of mischief to unsettle Mercedes, who remain confident that only legal formalities are delaying them closing the deal. It also remains to be seen if Vettel would veto a move for Hamilton. It is understood that a clause in his contract would allow the German to do so. For now Hamilton is putting his contract negotiations to one side in an attempt to extend his 13-point lead over Vettel in the drivers’ championship. He won a titanic battle at the front in a memorable race here at Bahrain’s Sakhir International Circuit last year against Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Hamilton’s confidence is high, a result of being in the form of his life. ‘I’ve almost surprised myself,’ he said. ‘I have been strong and built on last year. I have been adapting to things well. Hamilton suffered a lock-up in the second sector of the Bahrain International Circuit, leaving him in second . Sparks fly from the rear end of Hamilton's Mercedes during a practice session in Bahrain . ‘Winning a second title gives you an extra hop in your walk. I’m enjoying the feeling of the hard work I, and my team, have put in.’ The problem for Rosberg is how to stop a rival who is so confident. He did not manage it in China last week, where the pair rowed over how each conducted his race. Did the bust-up rattle Hamilton? ‘I just try and laugh it off and let it go over my head,’ he said. ‘It’s irrelevant to the race result. I’m not one to arrive here and think, “I’ve got the upper hand; just keep going”. ‘I feel very strong in my understanding of the car and what I need to get from the tyres. My race craft is still there, race pace is good, and then qualifying has picked up a little bit. That has been a focus for improvement. ‘But even in the last qualifying session my final lap in Q3 was not perfect, so I’ve still got to improve that. ‘Overall I feel that if I remove the power of somebody else to give me confidence or take my confidence away, then I’m never affected.’ Sebastian Vettel had issues throughout the day, eventually finishing the second practice in fourth place . Vettel finished fourth, behind Rosberg, Hamilton and third-placed Kimi Raikkonen in Bahrain .
target: Bernie Ecclestone has urged Lewis Hamilton to consider a move to Ferrari .
  The 30-year-old has yet to put pen to paper on new contract with Mercedes .
  The Brit will seek to to extend his 13-point lead at the Bahrain Grand Prix .