In an unprecedented move, Ferrari chairman John Elkann has publicly criticised his team's drivers.

He hit out following the Maranello outfit's third point-less weekend of the season, one which saw the team drop to fourth in the standings, four points behind Red Bull, whose driver, Max Verstappen, has scored just 21 points less than Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton combined.

"Brazil was a huge disappointment," Elkann is quoted as saying by Sky Italia. "If we look at the Formula 1 championship, we can say that our mechanics are winning the championship with their performance and everything they've done on the pit stops.

"If we look at our engineers, there's no doubt that the car has improved," he added. "If we look at the rest, it's not up to par.

"We have drivers who it's important that they 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 insisted. "In Bahrain, we won the WEC title. When Ferrari is united, you get results."

While both drivers appear too easily distracted by outside interests, it should not be forgotten that the Maranello outfit has history in failing to provide world-class drivers with the equipment needed to do the business, the likes of Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel being prime examples.

However, despite claims that engineers are unhappy with the constant criticism, particularly from Hamilton, one has to wonder if someone is bending Elkann's ear in terms of making his feelings so public.

Perhaps a good friend, a former team boss, someone with recent experience of winning titles, someone looking for a return to the pitlane.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Geeza1966, 15/11/2025 0:00

"Hi everyone... Many interesting and valid points and statements here... All of which currently fit the Prancing Horses' current MO... But the one thing that I find glaringly obvious is that in the last 15 or so years, Ferrari has had at its disposal, 3 multiple WDC's in Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton... 13 titles between them... As of today, it seems that none of them seems to be, or has been able to, change Ferrari's operational stance or even way of thinking with regards to their constant underachievement due to lack of consistency or maybe even inability to listen to anyone else's train of thought. Lewis submitting reports to the hierarchy and ops managers etc is surely another waste of time that will probably end up in the shredder at some point in the near future. I for one am thoroughly looking forward to seeing what kind of steed they produce for their 2 jockeys for 2026... No more ground effect aero and a clean sheet of paper... Lets hope that they have the brains to produce a car worthy of their 2 drivers. Otherwise, I fear they could lose both for 2027. Another glaringly massive error... And the cycle begins again... They must start to listen to experiences from outside of their own 4 walls if they are to challenge again in my opinion. You can't tell me that if Charles and Lewis had a more compliant, fast and less nervous car beneath them that they wouldn't be challenging at the front... I don't buy it. Here's hoping everyone, Cheers, Ian."

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2. Posted by ffracer, 12/11/2025 11:32

"@Tyrebiter @ BrightonCorgi @Wokingchap @Spindoctor - Agreed. The 2025 Ferrari has not been good enough and the Ferrari team race strategy has been the Achilles Heel for quite some time, astounding Leclerc for quite some time and Hamilton since his first race for Ferrari.

So, this is now most worrisome. Is CEO Elkan, knowing that the car is not the best and, despite the race data evidence, claims that the engineers have designed a great car, is he denying or confirming that the race strategy is an issue? Or is this publicly setting the stage for a scapegoat if they fail to achieve 2nd in the Constructors?"

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 12/11/2025 9:03

"Irrespective of the driver-bashing from Elkann & some here, the fact is that the Ferrari car is simply not good enough. Those Engineers who managed to make a reasonably decent car last year chose to do a radical & less successful rethink this.
This error has been compounded & highlighted by Mercedes finally delivering a reliable 'top 3' car which has recently been going well at most places. Compare & contrast with the Ferrari which has been all over the place: often changing between Q1 & Q3. Rather like the Red Bull, it's clear that the car intrinsically suits one driver's style & feel - not surprising, as Leclerc has been helping develop it for years, just like Verstappen at RBR. Again, like the Red Bull was for most of the season, the car seems hyper-sensitive with its narrow setup window mitigating against tweaking it to suit Lewis' requirements.

Elkann's diatribe is redolent of Ferrari's SOP when losing - slag the driver(s), despite the fact that life & winning in F1 is much more complicated than that! Let's hope that this year's car has shown Ferrari how NOT to do it & they manage something more manageable for 2026 & that the engine division makes a decent PU...."

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4. Posted by ffracer, 12/11/2025 4:24

"Some great points but, to everyone saying that Leclerc and Hamilton did nothing wrong:

To preface, I like the new team player Leclerc version, courtesy of a proper Team Principal (his years partnering Sebastian Vettel - not his driving capability - was and his radio rants equally atrocious, sorry) and believe in both drivers extraordinary talent... but Leclerc went into the first corner on the outside of three cars - three cars abreast- and squeezing Antonelli... who was squeezing Piastri. So basically, that's 3 times more likely to be involved in an accident...

Hamilton, currently a 7-time champion lol, crashed into the back of another car and resulting in terminal damage and a DNF.

How would you feel signing the hefty paychecks and watching your team plummet in the standings by two places. How many millions is the payout between second and fourth. Then, cue the phonecalls and the media reports... yeah, I'd be very grumpy too."

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5. Posted by Tyrbiter, 11/11/2025 19:28

"The question I would be asking is, how many times has Ferrari demonstrated good team cohesion over the last 15 years or so, because if they have it's only been spotty and I must have missed it. None of their drivers in the last 5 years or so has been able to reliably achieve consistent performance for a whole season.

This season perhaps Elkann should pay attention to the fact that golden boy Leclerc has very little good to say about the car and strategy, and you would hardly expect a 7 times WC to disagree with him as he knows what it takes to succeed and that was apparently why Fred wanted him to drive for Ferrari.

The talking from the drivers doesn't actually seem to make the engineers do something very different, and remember that Ferrari made a very different 2025 car despite their being a regulation change next season that will reset everything again.

Personally I think that Elkann is the one who needs to do less talking right now, there is no question that there has been little progress in a consistent sense this season. And off track Ferrari are apparently aiming to enter the EV market. It makes you doubt the judgement of anyone associated with that decision. Have they not just watched the Porsche CEO get sacked for reducing profitability by 99%?"

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6. Posted by ffracer, 11/11/2025 16:55

"This public butt kicking is definitely someone feeling the searing heat from the incessant phonecalls from investors and trusted advisor none other than Luca De Montezemolo... and Christian Horner, two prima donnas certain to be always stirring up drama to stay in the spotlight.

Admittedly, these last seasons and driver contracts, let alone the three pointless expensive weekends, is too costly, even for Ferrari. De Montezemolo and Ferrari have made it clear on many occasions that no driver, or employee, is greater than the brand."

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7. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 11/11/2025 16:00

"How many times has race strategy been the Achillies heal this season."

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8. Posted by Superbird70, 11/11/2025 14:07

"Hard to find fault with Leclerc but Hamilton needs to focus more on on F1 rather all his side hustles. We don't need an F1 version of Thunderbirds or whatever his next F1 the Movie will be."

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9. Posted by Burton, 11/11/2025 13:10

"Doesn't he have court-ordered community service to do from stealing money from his mum? Is that the guy to listen to, not the two utterly brilliant Ferrari drivers? What a joke."

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10. Posted by Chester, 11/11/2025 13:07

"I'm not sure I blame Leclerc much. He podiumed the prior two races. Agree with Editor here, something is behind the scenes here.

But it could just be Elkann seeing Verstappen and Bearman succeeding despite not having the best equipment- and wondering out-loud, why can't my drivers do the same?"

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11. Posted by JamesD, 11/11/2025 12:55

"@Kenji - Hamilton bashing again huh ? You really can't help yourself can you !"

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12. Posted by Wokingchap, 11/11/2025 12:52

"He praises the engineers etc even though the car is naff.... lack of grip, doesn’t steer etc. Come on ferrari get it sorted!"

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13. Posted by JamesD, 11/11/2025 12:23

"I'm not sure that's the best policy Mr Elkann. I was advised by an old boss to 'praise in public, b*****k in the boardroom' and how found it to work well."

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14. Posted by kenji, 11/11/2025 11:09

"Given the ROI from the massive investment and spin given to their latest aquisition in '25 Elkann must be feeling the heat a little! "

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Ferrari chairman blasts Leclerc and Hamilton

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