Jenson Button has hit back at Ferrari chairman John Elkann after he criticised drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following a double DNF at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Elkann urged the pair to “talk less and focus on driving”, while praising the team's engineers and pit stops.
The 2009 Formula 1 world champion responded to a Sky Sports F1 Instagram post about Elkann's comments with a blunt six-word remark: “Maybe John should lead by example.” The comment has garnered nearly 25,000 likes.
Elkann, who played a key role in persuading Hamilton to join Ferrari from Mercedes, said on Monday: “Brazil was a huge disappointment. If we look at the rest, it’s not up to par. And we certainly have drivers who it’s important that they focus on driving and talk less.”
Hamilton has endured a difficult debut season with Ferrari, trailing Leclerc by 66 points in the championship and yet to score a podium. Leclerc has seven podiums this year. The next race is in Las Vegas on 20-22 November, with two rounds remaining.
