After a disappointing showing at the Brazilian Grand Prix that dropped the Maranello squad from second to fourth in the constructorsā championship, John Elkann told Sky Sports Italy that “the drivers,” which obviously meant the current Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, should focus more on driving and less on talking.
His blunt remarks sparked backlash from across the motorsport community, including from former F1 champion Jenson Button, ex-F1 boss Guenther Steiner, and others. Although several days have passed, many fans still remain upset.
How Are Fans Reacting to John Elkannās Criticism of Ferrari Drivers?
First, let’s examine the timeline. Following a double DNF at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Ferrari’s president made a rare appearance to let his frustrations be known. It began with him absolving the entire Italian team’s crew. “Brazil was a big disappointment,” he said.
Elkann then said, “Looking at the Formula 1 championship, we can say that we have our mechanics, who are basically winning the championship with their performance and everything that has been done on the pit stops. Our engineers have undoubtedly improved the car. But when it comes to the rest, it is still not up to par.”
Additionally, he bluntly shifted the blame to his drivers, a 7x champion and an 8x race winner, “And surely we have drivers who need to focus on driving and talk less. We still have important races ahead of us, and it is not impossible to achieve second place [in the constructors]. This is the most important message, because Bahrain itself is the demonstration that, when everyone at Ferrari works together, we win.”
The fans remain infuriated at this, even five days later. The official Instagram page of Scuderia Ferrari brought in the weekend with a carousel of two pictures. The first picture is a close-up of Leclerc’s hands signing a Ferrari cap, and the second one is a distant shot of Hamilton signing merchandise. The admin captioned the post, writing, “Signed with style š¤”
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Ferrari fans, also known as Tifosi worldwide, are considered one of the most passionate fan bases in Formula 1. The same passion was poured into the comments section, where hundreds of comments read “#Elkannout”. A few fans even twisted the caption, stating, “Your president should resign with style too. #ElkannOUT”.
Ultimately, the ongoing backlash to Elkannās comments underscores the profound emotional investment of Ferrariās global fan base in both the teamās legacy and its future. Criticizing two of the sportās accomplished drivers was always bound to ignite controversy, but the sustained anger highlights a more profound frustration with years of inconsistency and unmet expectations.
Whether Elkannās remarks were intended as a wake-up call or simply a public expression of disappointment, they have instead widened the divide between the teamās leadership and its supporters. As Ferrari pushes toward the final races of the season, the challenge now is not only to regain points on track, but also to restore unity, confidence, and trust off it.
