Ferrari chairman John Elkann at Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann has urged the Formula 1 team’s drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, to “focus on driving and talk less.”
Elkann’s remarks follow a challenging Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, where Ferrari experienced a double retirement, and Hamilton described his inaugural season with the team as a “nightmare.”
The race result saw Ferrari slip to fourth in the constructors’ championship standings, now 36 points behind Mercedes and four behind Red Bull, with three grands prix and a sprint race remaining.
Speaking at an Olympics sponsorship event in Rome on Monday, Elkann acknowledged the strong performance of the team’s mechanics and engineers but noted that “if we look at the rest, it is not up to scratch.”
He added: “And we definitely have drivers who need to focus on driving and talk less because we still have important races ahead of us and getting second place is not impossible.
“In Bahrain, we won the World Endurance Championship title. When Ferrari is united, we get results.”
Elkann’s comments underscore the prevailing frustration and disappointment within Ferrari, a team that narrowly missed securing the constructors’ championship last year but has yet to achieve a grand prix victory this season.
However, sources suggest the remarks are intended constructively, serving as motivation for improvement within the team.
Comparatively, McLaren, who trailed Ferrari by a mere 14 points last year, clinched the title with six races still to go this season.
The constructors’ championship standings directly influence the distribution of prize money among teams, with each position near the top estimated to be worth approximately $10 million (£7.6 million) more than the subsequent rank.
Leclerc expressed on social media that the Sao Paulo weekend had been “very difficult,” with Ferrari securing only six points overall, attributed to Leclerc and Hamilton’s fifth and seventh-place finishes, respectively, in the sprint race.
Leclerc added: “Disappointing to come back home with nearly no points at all for the team in what is a critical moment of the season to fight for the second place in the constructors’ championship.
“It’s uphill from now and it’s clear that only unity can help us turn that situation around in the last three races. We’ll give it all, as always.”
Hamilton also took to social media, stating: “I back my team, I back myself. I will not give up. Not now, not then, not ever.”
While Hamilton secured victory in the sprint race in China, during the season’s second event, he is yet to achieve a podium finish in a grand prix.
Leclerc, who qualified third in Sao Paulo, was forced to retire following a collision with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli after the Italian driver made contact with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Leclerc has achieved seven podium finishes this season, with a best result of second place in both Monaco and Mexico.
Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari ‘a nightmare’
São Paulo Grand Prix Review
‘Champion’s weekend from flawless Norris but Verstappen shines brightest’
Comments can not be loaded
To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser