Ferrari's executive chairman John Elkann has launched an extraordinary public attack on the team's drivers, instructing Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to concentrate on their racing rather than speaking out following their catastrophic double retirement in Sao Paulo.
In an unprecedented intervention on Monday, Elkann declared that the pair "need to focus on driving and talk less" after both cars failed to complete Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.
"We certainly have drivers who need to focus on driving and talk less, because we still have important races ahead of us and it's not impossible to get second place," Elkann stated during a sponsorship announcement for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The chairman's remarks represent a remarkable public rebuke of his star drivers.
Lewis Hamilton revealed that the season has been a 'nightmare' at Ferrari
|REUTERS
The disastrous weekend at Interlagos saw both Ferrari drivers eliminated from the race through separate incidents, compounding the team's miserable campaign.
Leclerc's race ended after just six laps when Oscar Piastri collided with Kimi Antonelli, who was subsequently pushed into the Monegasque driver, causing front suspension and tyre damage.
Hamilton endured an even more torturous afternoon, qualifying thirteenth before plummeting to last position and receiving a five-second penalty for hitting Franco Colapinto.
The seven-time champion struggled for 40 laps with significant floor damage before the team retired his car.
The double non-finish proved catastrophic for Ferrari's championship ambitions, as they tumbled from second to fourth in the constructors' standings, falling behind both Mercedes and Red Bull.
Charles LeClerc collided with Kimi Antonelli before crashing out as Lewis Hamilton retired later on at the Brazilian Grand Prix
|REUTERS
The Scuderia's 2025 campaign has fallen dramatically short of pre-season expectations, with neither driver securing a victory through 21 races.
Leclerc has managed seven podium finishes whilst Hamilton has yet to achieve a top-three result in his debut Ferrari season, marking the first time in his career he has gone without a podium for an entire campaign.
The team entered the year with considerable optimism after securing second place in the 2024 constructors' championship, finishing just 14 points behind McLaren.
Hamilton's high-profile arrival from Mercedes had heightened anticipation of a genuine title challenge.
Instead, the SF-25 has consistently underperformed, leaving Ferrari currently 394 points adrift of championship leaders McLaren.
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Ferrari chief John Elkann told Lewis Hamilton to stop talking after his comments at the weekend
|PA
Both drivers expressed deep frustration following the Brazilian debacle, with Hamilton describing his inaugural Ferrari season as "a nightmare" he has been "living for a while"."
The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team, and then the nightmare of results that we've had," Hamilton reflected at Interlagos.
Elkann pointedly referenced Ferrari's recent World Endurance Championship triumph, stating: "We need drivers who do not think about themselves, but who think about Ferrari."
The chairman acknowledged the team's mechanical excellence whilst criticising other aspects, noting: "Our mechanics are winning the championship with their performance and everything they've done on the pit-stops."
Three races remain in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with Ferrari targeting second place in the constructors' championship.