The environment in the Ferrari of Formula 1 has been shaken after the recent statements of its president, John Elkannwho urged his pilots to “focus on driving and talk less” after the double abandonment suffered in the São Paulo Grand Prix. This situation left the Italian team in fourth position in the constructors’ championship, 36 points behind. mercedes and only four of Red Bullwhen three races and a sprint remain until the end of the season.
In the preview of Las Vegas Grand Prixmedia attention focused on the response of Lewis Hamilton to the words of Elkann. The seven-time world champion defended his commitment and work ethic, ensuring that his dedication behind the wheel is absolute. “I wake up thinking about it, I fall asleep thinking about it, and I keep thinking about it while I sleep.“Hamilton said at a press conference. The British driver stressed that, far from being distracted, his main challenge is learning to disconnect:”If anything, I have to focus on being able to disconnect more”.
the englishwho debuted this year with Ferrari after eleven seasons in mercedesdescribed his first campaign dressed in red as the most demanding of his career. “It’s been a very hard year. I think It has been the busiest year I have ever had. I have been in the factory longer than any other“, he stated. Despite the difficulties, the pilot assured that the passion within the team remains intact and that he maintains a close relationship with Elkann: “I talk to John every week.. We have an incredible relationship. The passion has not disappeared from our team. The passion is so deep. But I love that and I could never fault someone for having a passion like that. Obviously, we have a very steep hill to climb, but we want to finish the year strong.”
The Briton also downplayed the team president’s criticism, pointing out that he understands his intentions and that the common goal is to unite the team. “I know what John’s intentions are.”Hamilton said, adding: “It’s about bringing the team together and we really are. “We are all very involved.”
hamilton He recognized the difficulty of moving forward when the results are not good: “It’s like we’re climbing a mountain, then the weekend comes and we go back a few steps or ten. Then we have to go back up and try again next time.”
The debut season of hamilton with Ferrari It has been far from expectations. He currently occupies sixth position in the drivers’ standings and, so far, has only achieved one victory in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, without managing to get on the podium in the main events. Your teammate, Charles Leclerchas added seven podiums, but the team has not yet achieved any victory in the Sunday races. If this trend is not reversed in the three remaining tests, Ferrari could close the year without wins, something that has not happened since the 2021 season.
The development of the SF25 car has not borne the expected results, despite the fact that the team had opted to focus its efforts on the 2026 project. During the season, Ferrari came to occupy second position in the championship, but the double retirement in Sao Paulo was a hard blow, relegating the team to fourth place. If this situation continues, it would be the worst result for the Scuderia since 2020, when they finished in sixth position.
For its part, Charles Leclerc He also referred to Elkann’s words. “John called me to catch up and told me that the message he wanted to convey was positive, that we want to improve,” explained the Monegasque. He underlined the bond he maintains with Elkann and the shared ambition to return Ferrari to the top: “We have a very good relationship and we have always been honest. We talk regularly and try to understand him. Obviously, John is an ambitious person and wants the best for Ferrari as I do too.”
Leclerc He insisted that the priority of the entire team is to recover the lost prominence: “All of us We are trying to do our best to get Ferrari back to the top. It’s John’s priority. It’s my priority. The priority of the entire team. And we are doing everything to achieve it. The best thing I can do is keep the best of me and do everything to return the team I love to the top,” he said.
