Published on: Nov 11, 2025 12:08 pm IST
Ferrari’s executive chairman, John Elkann, expressed disappointment over the team’s performance, citing a lack of focus from drivers in Brazilian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton has offered public support to Ferrari and his team after executive chairman John Elkann criticised both Ferrari drivers for “talking too much” and not focusing enough on driving following a disastrous Brazilian Grand Prix.
Ferrari endured a weekend to forget in São Paulo, with both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc failing to finish the race. Hamilton retired mid-race after sustaining damage to his car, while Leclerc was forced out early following a collision involving Oscar Piastri and Kimi Antonelli. The double retirement dropped Ferrari to fourth in the constructors’ standings, leaving both drivers still searching for their first win of the season.
Elkann, speaking on the sidelines of a sponsorship announcement between Stellantis and the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, made his frustration clear. “Brazil was a big disappointment,” he said. “If we look at everything else, it’s not up to standards. It’s important that our drivers focus on driving and talk less.”
The remarks came after weeks of pointed comments from both drivers about Ferrari’s performance. Hamilton had called the weekend “a nightmare,” while Leclerc described the car as “very slow” during sprint qualifying.
But hours after Elkann’s rebuke, Hamilton appeared to shift his tone, posting a message of solidarity with his team on Instagram. “It wasn’t the race we wanted,” he wrote. “It’s gutting, especially after some good progress, but we will move on. I back my team. I back myself. I will not give up. Not now, not then, not ever.”
Elkann also emphasised that while Ferrari’s mechanics had excelled this season — with strong performances in pit stops and pole positions — the overall results remained below expectations. “There’s no doubt that the car has improved,” he said, while adding that the team still has “some big races remaining” and could yet fight for second place in the constructors’ standings, where Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari remain locked in a close contest behind runaway leaders McLaren.
