Ferrari Chairman Urges Enhanced On-Track Focus from Drivers Following Brazil GP Setback

Maranello, Italy – Ferrari President John Elkann has issued a stark call for improved performance and reduced external distractions from the Scuderia’s Formula 1 drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, following a profoundly disappointing Brazil Grand Prix. The race saw the iconic Italian team endure a double retirement, plummeting from second to fourth position in the constructors’ championship standings. Elkann’s pointed remarks, made to Sky Sports Italy, underscored a perceived imbalance in the team’s overall effort, praising the technical and operational staff while directing criticism towards the drivers.

"We recently celebrated the Endurance world titles in Bahrain, and that was an extraordinary feeling," Elkann stated, drawing a direct contrast between the success in sports car racing and the struggles in Formula 1. "Winning both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships there shows that when Ferrari is united, when everyone works together, we can achieve truly great things." This success in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) serves as a potent reminder of Ferrari’s broader motorsport capabilities and the high standards expected across all its racing divisions, implicitly highlighting the gap in F1 performance.

Turning his attention to the Formula 1 team’s recent performance, Elkann did not mince words regarding the Interlagos weekend. "Brazil was a big disappointment," he confessed. He was quick to acknowledge the strengths within the Maranello outfit, noting, "Looking at the Formula 1 championship, we can say that we have our mechanics, who are basically winning the championship with their performance and everything that has been done on the pitstops. Our engineers have undoubtedly improved the car." This recognition of the technical and operational backbone of the team serves to isolate the area he believes needs immediate address. "But when it comes to the rest, it is still not up to par," Elkann concluded, before delivering his direct message to the drivers. "And surely we have drivers who need to focus on driving and talk less."

The Ferrari chairman’s comments come at a critical juncture, with the team facing intense pressure in the final stages of the Formula 1 season. Elkann, however, maintains an optimistic outlook for the remaining races. "We still have important races ahead of us, and it is not impossible to achieve second place [in the constructors]," he affirmed. "This is the most important message, because Bahrain itself is the demonstration that, when everyone at Ferrari works together, we win." This statement reflects the inherent fighting spirit associated with Ferrari, even as internal scrutiny intensifies.

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The Brazil Grand Prix weekend at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace was indeed a challenging one for Ferrari. Heading into the event, the team occupied a strong second place in the constructors’ standings, a position they had fought hard to achieve and maintain throughout a competitive season. The expectation was to consolidate this standing, or at least minimize any potential losses. However, the sequence of events over the weekend quickly turned unfavorable.

The sprint qualifying session proved to be a mixed bag, with Charles Leclerc securing eighth position on the grid for the sprint race, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton started further back in eleventh. Despite these starting positions, both drivers demonstrated some recovery in the sprint race itself, with Leclerc climbing to a respectable fifth and Hamilton advancing to seventh. While these were solid efforts, they were ultimately insufficient to counter the strong performance from rivals Mercedes. The Brackley-based team, with its drivers securing second and third place finishes in the sprint, managed to leapfrog Ferrari in the constructors’ table, setting the stage for a tense Sunday.

The main Grand Prix on Sunday proved even more catastrophic for the Fred Vasseur-led Ferrari squad. Leclerc, who had shown promising pace in qualifying to secure P3 on the grid, saw his race end prematurely. He ultimately retired after an incident involving contact with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri. This early exit was a significant blow, not only in terms of lost points but also for the team’s morale. Hamilton, starting from 13th on the grid, also failed to complete the race, retiring due to damage sustained from early collisions. These incidents, as reported, involved contact with Williams’s Carlos Sainz and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto. The combined double DNF represented a catastrophic outcome for Ferrari’s championship aspirations.

Adding to Ferrari’s woes, the race also featured an impressive recovery drive from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who started from the pitlane but managed to navigate his way through the field to secure a third-place finish. This strong performance by a competitor further highlighted Ferrari’s struggles and contributed to their demotion to fourth place in the constructors’ standings by the conclusion of the Brazilian weekend. The shift in standings was a bitter pill for a team with championship ambitions, emphasizing the fragility of their position in the highly competitive Formula 1 landscape.

Lewis Hamilton, known for his candid assessments, offered a particularly somber reflection on his weekend. "It’s a nightmare," he told Sky Sports F1 after his retirement. "I’ve been living it for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and then the nightmare of the results that we’ve had." His words encapsulate the immense pressure and emotional toll that inconsistent performance can take on elite athletes. Despite the evident frustration, Hamilton reiterated his commitment to the team and his personal drive for improvement. "The ups and downs. It’s challenging. Tomorrow I’ll get back up. I’ll keep training. I’ll keep working with the team. I really wanted to get them good points this weekend but I’ll come back as strong as I can in the next race and try to recover." This resolve is a characteristic trait of top-tier drivers, yet it also underscores the deep-seated issues that Ferrari needs to address.

The 2023 Formula 1 season has been a rollercoaster for Ferrari. While their car, the SF-23, has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in qualifying pace, consistent race performance and strategic execution have often been points of contention. Leclerc, a highly rated driver, has frequently demonstrated exceptional raw speed, securing multiple pole positions, but converting these into race victories has proven challenging. Hamilton, in his first season with the Scuderia after his high-profile move from Mercedes, has experienced a mixed bag of results, often battling the car’s unpredictable nature. His adaptation to the Ferrari environment and the challenges presented by the car’s characteristics have been under constant media and fan scrutiny. The "talk less" directive from Elkann could be interpreted as a desire for the drivers to channel all their energy into maximizing on-track performance, perhaps implying that external commentary or internal discussions have, at times, overshadowed their primary role. This reflects a broader philosophy within Ferrari to maintain focus and present a unified front.

With only three rounds remaining in the championship, the battle for second place in the constructors’ standings remains fiercely contested. A mere 36 points now separate Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari, transforming the final races into a high-stakes showdown. Each point will be critical, not only for sporting prestige but also for the significant financial implications tied to championship positions. The pressure on both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, as well as the entire Ferrari team, is now immense to deliver strong, consistent results and claw back positions in the remaining races. The directive from the chairman is clear: the focus must squarely be on the racing, with every effort geared towards performance and tangible results on the track.

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Jonas Leo

Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.

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