Ferrari president John Elkann has publicly rebuked Lewis Hamilton, telling the seven-time Formula 1 champion to “focus on driving and talk less” after Hamilton described his debut season with Ferrari as a “nightmare.”
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was billed as one of the sport’s most significant transfers in recent years, but his first campaign has been marked by frustration and underperformance. The Briton is yet to finish on the podium and currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings, 66 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The latest flashpoint came after Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix, where Hamilton was forced to retire on lap 37 following floor damage sustained while attempting to overtake Alpine’s Franco Colapinto. The Ferrari driver later described his season as a nightmare, saying, “The dream of driving for this amazing team has turned into the nightmare of the results we’ve had.”
Elkann, who played a key role in convincing Hamilton to join Ferrari, responded sharply while speaking at an event in Milan.
“They should focus on driving and talk less,” Elkann said of his drivers. “We still have a few races left, and it’s not impossible to finish second.”
Ferrari’s struggles at Interlagos also saw Leclerc crash out after contact with Kimi Antonelli, costing the team valuable points and dropping them to fourth in the constructors’ standings. Elkann praised the mechanics and engineers for their work but hinted that driver performance had fallen short.
“The mechanics did their job, the engineers improved the car, but the rest wasn’t up to par,” he added.
Despite the rocky season, Hamilton remains optimistic about Ferrari’s future. He has been deeply involved in discussions about restructuring the team’s strategy and operations, even preparing two internal documents outlining changes he believes are necessary to restore Ferrari’s competitiveness ahead of the 2026 regulation overhaul.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris continued his stellar form by claiming victory in Brazil, extending his championship lead to 24 points over teammate Oscar Piastri. Norris played down talk of a potential title, saying he was “not thinking about it yet,” despite back-to-back wins in Mexico and São Paulo.
With three races remaining, the Formula 1 season heads into its final stretch with Ferrari under mounting pressure and Hamilton determined to turn his “nightmare” into redemption next year.
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