Ferrari's Formula 1 campaign has descended into what Lewis Hamilton himself describes as a "nightmare" season, with the legendary team failing to secure a single victory in 21 races despite boasting what many consider the strongest driver line-up on the grid.
Elkann's Explosive Comments Ignite Ferrari Crisis
The situation reached boiling point when Ferrari chairman John Elkann made surprising comments following the team's double DNF at the Brazilian Grand Prix and their World Endurance Championship victory in Bahrain. While praising Ferrari's engineers and mechanics for car improvements and rapid pit-stops, Elkann delivered a stinging rebuke to his star drivers.
"If we look at the rest, it's not up to par," Elkann stated. "And we certainly 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."
The remarks sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 community, particularly given Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are widely regarded as the most talented driver pairing in the sport.
A Season of Underperformance and Disappointment
Ferrari's struggles have been evident since the opening race in Australia, where Leclerc qualified seventh and Hamilton eighth. The race results were even more disappointing, with the drivers finishing eighth and tenth respectively. This pattern has continued throughout the season, with the team consistently operating as the fourth-fastest car on the grid.
The few highlights have been sparse: Hamilton's sprint win in China and Leclerc's pole position in Hungary provided brief moments of optimism. However, in the 21 grands prix so far, Ferrari haven't just failed to win - they haven't even been in contention for victory.
The statistics make for grim reading: Hamilton, in his 19th season, is heading for his first year without a podium finish, while the team is facing its first winless season since 2021.
Historical Pattern of Ferrari Disappointment
This isn't the first time multiple world champions have struggled to achieve success at Ferrari. Both Fernando Alonso (2010-2014) and Sebastian Vettel (2015-2020) arrived at Maranello with championship expectations, only to leave without adding to their title tallies.
The team's only sustained period of success since Enzo Ferrari's death in 1988 came under the leadership of Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, when Michael Schumacher secured five consecutive championships. Notably, that successful era saw the F1 operation functioning separately from the rest of the Ferrari business.
The current problems appear deeply rooted in the team's structure and management. Despite team principal Fred Vasseur receiving a contract extension in July, Ferrari continues to lag behind McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull, all of whom have secured multiple race victories this season.
With new regulations coming next year, Ferrari has a fresh opportunity to reset and address the fundamental issues that have plagued their campaign. As the team searches for answers, many within the sport suggest the microscope should be firmly on the 5,000-strong workforce at Maranello rather than the drivers in the cockpit.
