The atmosphere within the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team has been thrown into sharp focus after its executive chairman publicly criticised its star drivers. John Elkann issued a blunt directive to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, telling them to "focus on driving and talk less" following a disastrous Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
A Wretched Weekend in Brazil
The controversial comment from the Ferrari chairman came after a weekend to forget for the F1 squad at Interlagos. The team's woes culminated in a double retirement from the race, with both Hamilton and Leclerc's cars suffering damage. This poor performance stood in stark contrast to the success of Ferrari's hypercar programme, which on the same day celebrated securing both the manufacturers' and drivers' World Endurance Championship titles in Bahrain.
Elkann, who was present for that coronation, used the occasion to draw a pointed comparison. He stated, "When Ferrari is united, we get results," praising the F1 team's mechanics and engineers for their work. However, he added a cutting assessment of the rest of the operation, declaring, "If we look at the rest, it is not up to scratch."
Hill's Surprise at 'Undermining' Comments
The public nature of the rebuke has drawn criticism from 1996 Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill. Speaking to Mirror Sport, Hill expressed his surprise at Elkann's remarks, noting that he hadn't observed the drivers making any particularly outrageous statements.
"I saw the interview. I was a bit surprised at what I heard and I think a lot of people were," Hill admitted. He went on to defend the drivers' right to be critical, explaining, "They're part of the team, but drivers are sort of the end-user of the product. They're not likely to say that everything's wonderful when it clearly isn't."
Hill emphasised that the team's issues are complex, pointing out that Ferrari "have not really covered themselves in glory" and have experienced "too many ups and downs this year." While acknowledging that Elkann, as the boss who pays their substantial salaries, is entitled to his opinion, Hill highlighted the damaging impact of making such comments publicly.
The Impact of Public Criticism
Hill elaborated on the potential psychological effect on the drivers, suggesting the move could be counterproductive. "It can be quite... I don't know what the right word for it is. It's not humiliating, but it can be demoralising a little bit," he said. "I'm sure he must have said that to them in private, but when you say something in public, then it can be undermining."
The 65-year-old former champion concluded by reflecting on the power dynamic within a historic team like Ferrari. "It does highlight the fact that the driver is someone who's passing through and the team stays, particularly a team like Ferrari, is there forever. Or a long time, anyway," he noted, underscoring the temporary nature of a driver's tenure compared to the enduring legacy of the team itself.
With neither Hamilton nor Leclerc having secured a race victory in the 2025 season, this public dressing-down adds another layer of pressure as the team looks to regroup and address its performance issues ahead of the final races.
