Ferrari chairman John Elkann said drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc “need to focus more on driving and less talking”, sparking debate over F1’s best-known and most-watched team after suggesting the team was substandard in various areas.
Elkann’s comments were made to the media in Milan, a day after Ferrari fell from second to fourth in the constructors’ championship in a somber Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with both drivers’ Sunday ending early after they retired due to damage sustained in separate accidents.
Speaking to reporters during a media scrum at an event to promote the 2026 Winter Olympics, Elkann praised the work the team’s engineers and mechanics are doing this season, but said other areas of the Scuderia were “not up to standard.”
Elkann also cited the company’s title-winning success in last week’s World Endurance Championship as showing that “when Ferrari comes together, we get results.”
Hours after Elkann’s comments made big F1 headlines around the world, Leclerc and Hamilton posted messages on their respective social media channels expressing their determination to help the team bounce back from Brazil and finish the season strong.
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Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been warned by Ferrari chairman John Elkann to “talk less and focus on driving” after a disastrous weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
But what was behind Mr. Elkann’s public intervention?
This question was the topic of discussion in the latest episode of The F1 Show, which was released to watch on podcast platforms and YouTube. Join Sky Sports F1’s Simon Lazenby, Bernie Collins and Ted Kravitz as we look back at the dramatic Sao Paulo Sprint weekend and everything that’s already happened since.
Listen to the full episode below, including discussion of Lando Norris’ extended title lead and Oscar Piastri’s penalty at Interlagos.
What was the purpose of Mr. Elkann’s statement?
Regarding Ferrari, Collins and Kravitz were first asked by Lazenby whether they thought Elkann’s public rebuke was designed to act as a “spark or a slap in the face.”
“I think he meant, ‘Can you please focus on getting back to second or even third place so we don’t drop to fourth place in the constructors’,” Kravitz said.
“This is an indication of how Ferrari is now deciding which season to finish within the constructors’ championship. Second will be a success. That’s fine, they can rely on that. It’s the ruthless hard points and data. And they might say, ‘We have the second fastest car, everything is not so bad. Okay, we didn’t win the race, but everything is fine.’
“But you have to remember that it was Charles and Lewis who took Ferrari to second place in the constructors’ championship, because they just got points. And you have to remember that there are fundamental flaws in this car: the Belgian upgrades couldn’t fix it on the board, they couldn’t drive the car lower, they couldn’t find anything to fix around it. So it was the drivers who got the points.”
Ferrari chairman John Elkann made headlines with his comments Sunday night.
Kravitz said the drivers had “broad shoulders” to address the comments and that Elkann, given his position as chairman, could officially voice his feelings, but said it was clear that Hamilton and Leclerc were “thinking about the team”.
“They’re all looking to improve,” he added. “So, I don’t know, maybe they got Elkann in a position where he had two DNFs (the day before). This is bad for the team. Nobody likes to see two DNFs, but that’s clear. I don’t know if Elkann is going to think his comments were a little strong, but the drivers are obviously thinking about the team.”
Collins, a former F1 strategist, added: “You can tell that changes are happening slowly within Ferrari because Fred (Vasseur) is making changes, but the drivers basically want to get as many points as possible. They both want to win.”
“Lewis doesn’t want to be the Ferrari driver who doesn’t get on the podium in his first year and doesn’t want to win (races) this year. None of what they want is happening and I can’t believe they’re so bigoted within the team that they’re not moving the team or the engineering forward.
“So, hopefully he got the timing wrong and didn’t choose his words as well as he usually does. It’s like everyone needs to focus on their role, they need to make the most of their role.”
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Lewis Hamilton suffered a broken bone after sustaining damage in Brazil, resulting in an early pit stop, penalty and early retirement.
Despite this, Collins said there was no getting away from the fact that Interlagos was a “horrible weekend for Ferrari”.
She added that it was vital for them and their high-profile driver duo to avoid finishing fourth in the standings behind Mercedes, which has one rookie this year, and Red Bull, who are almost entirely dependent on Max Verstappen’s points.
“If you look at the other two team combinations, Kimi Antonelli hasn’t had an ideal performance in the middle section this year and Red Bull’s second driver hasn’t been able to score points consistently,” she said.
“For Ferrari, with two strong drivers, finishing fourth is not very good from a championship perspective. And as Ted says, they would like it and second place should be the goal for the season, given the combination of the other two (teams). But the car is not up to it.”
F1’s thrilling title race continues until the Las Vegas Grand Prix from November 21-23, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports now – cancel anytime with no contract
