Ferrari chairman John Elkann has sparked outrage by publicly criticizing Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. He claimed the drivers talk too much and aren’t concentrating, following the team’s double DNF at the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix.
With the team already struggling through another winless season, Elkann’s remarks have only intensified the pressure — and fans were far from impressed.
Why Are Ferrari Fans Fuming at John Elkann?
Ferrari’s weekend at Interlagos went up in flames as Leclerc retired on Lap 6 after a collision with Kimi Antonelli, who himself had been squeezed by Oscar Piastri during a chaotic restart.
Hamilton, starting 13th after a disappointing qualifying, faced early collisions with Sainz and Colapinto and was eventually forced to retire due to critical floor damage.
The disappointing result pushed Ferrari down to fourth in the constructors’ standings, behind Mercedes and Red Bull, adding more pressure on both management and the drivers.
Following the race, Elkann made a rare public appearance to air his frustrations. He directed his criticism at Ferrari’s star drivers rather than the engineers or the strategy. Elkann also urged them to focus on their performance instead of discussing the team’s problems.
“If you look at our engineers, there’s no doubt that the car has improved. If you look at the rest, it’s not up to par. And we certainly have drivers who need to focus on driving and talk less, because we still have important races ahead of us and it’s not impossible to get second place,” he said.
His outburst didn’t sit well with the fans, though.
“So the engineers working to improve the car and strategy are not as issue? Mama the call is coming from inside the house bc your drivers are managing the crap you’re giving them. Toxic AF,” one of them wrote.
Another fan also echoed their disappointment with the management.
“That’s Why this team will never win anything. There are idiots at the helm,” they said.
One fan pointed out that the team’s ongoing car problems are ignored, yet the drivers are held responsible.
“Unreal. Both drivers said the car was undrivable. Lewis couldn’t make it to Q3 and Charles, once again, saves them with a miracle lap. Then they had a chance to change the PU and setup on Lewis’ car to give him the best chance like RB did for Max, but threw their hands up. Now, instead of having a car that could actually fight for a win in Vegas, Max is going to walk away with it and @ScuderiaFerrari will LICO their way to 6th and 7th,” they wrote.
Most fans believe the Ferrari management did not do enough to improve the cars.
“Yes the car has improved so much this year it’s gone from winning a sprint race to winning the Lift and coast world championship,” another sarcastically remarked.
The atmosphere at Ferrari has grown tense, with both drivers becoming increasingly outspoken. Leclerc has raised concerns about development and strategy, while Hamilton has pressed for changes, offering extensive feedback and data insights.