Mika Hakkinen can't imagine F1 without Bernie Ecclestone

Two-time Formula One world champion Mika Hakkinen cannot imagine the sport without supremo Bernie Ecclestone at the helm.

Ecclestone, the chief executive of F1, revealed on Tuesday that the sport could have new owners as soon as the end of the year.

However, the 84-year-old said any potential new owners were still keen for him to stay in charge of the sport.

Hakkinen, 47, said he could not see anyone else being able to replace the long-serving F1 boss.

"Bernie has been in Formula One for so many years, he has done fantastic work making Formula One what it is today," Hakkinen said.

"It's an enormous sport, a great sport, great business, good entertainment, a good show so now what I heard, not a long time ago...it feels like it's not real.

"It's such a complicated business, Formula One. There are so many different things that you need to be aware of - connections and networks around the world that you have to have.

"Relationships, personal relationships, that Bernie has been building over the years. It's massive, so who can replace those kind of elements? That would be interesting."

Hakkinen, who won world championships with McLaren in 1998 and 1999, was also cautious about what any possible outcomes may be.

"I think we are going to hear more news about it later, then we know for sure what's happening," he said.

"Maybe I am talking too much actually, because let's hear the real story, when we get full news about it. Better not to say too much now."