Ferrari, Elkann Furious, Strong Criticism of the Driver Duo

After an unsatisfactory F1 Brazilian GP yesterday, which ended with a double retirement for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, rather harsh statements came from Ferrari president John Elkann. The criticism targeted precisely the two Ferrari drivers, who, despite a rather disappointing 2025 season, are now fighting for P4 in the Constructors’ Championship.

The excellent performance of Mercedes and Red Bull, combined with Ferrari’s double retirement, widened the gap from the top positions. With only three Grands Prix left in the season (Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi), this infuriated the management, clearly dissatisfied with the weekend.

It should be noted, however, that the performance was compromised on one hand by an early-race incident for which Leclerc was completely blameless. And on the other hand by Hamilton’s car, which had to retire again due to brake issues from the Brazilian GP

Elkann furious with Leclerc and Hamilton after the Brazilian GP

What could have seemed like a 2025 in which Ferrari might finally compete with McLaren and Red Bull has instead turned into their worst season since 2020. Despite the Ferrari Team’s WEC championship victory with the 499P, Elkann urges the team to look to Bahrain to understand what it truly means to be a united team, sending pointed jabs at Vasseur’s squad. According to the president, finishing at least P2 in this championship must be an absolute priority.

«We won the endurance championship in Bahrain, it was an extraordinary feeling to win both as constructors and as drivers.
It’s a wonderful demonstration of the fact that when Ferrari is united, when everyone is together, great things can be achieved.
Brazil was a big disappointment, and if we look at the F1 championship…
If we look at our engineers, there is no doubt that the car has improved. If we look at the rest, it is not up to standard.»

Vasseur and Leclerc to depart from Ferrari after 2026?

There now seems to be a real shake-up within the Cavallino team. Fred Vasseur had already been mentioned as a possible departure if Ferrari’s fortunes did not improve, while Leclerc has hinted at exploring other options if the 2026 car, with the new regulatory changes, is not up to standard.

The F1 team had shown some signs of recovery in the last two races, especially in Austin and Mexico City, where they reached the podium. Yet the championship standings remain tight: Red Bull, in P3, is only 4 points behind with 366 total points, while Mercedes holds P2 with 398. With two races left, Maranello must find both performance and, above all, stability.