Ferrari denies internal tensions and sends Matteo Togninalli to clarify what happened. Ferrari responds to media speculation about internal tensions .

Ferrari reacts to team tension and puts Togninalli in the spotlight

Ferrari arrived in Austin amid yet another wave of media turmoil. Following the difficult Singapore Grand Prix, some reports suggested internal tensions within the team. At first, rumours claimed that the squad was unhappy with Charles Leclerc, but soon another name appeared: Matteo Togninalli, the head of track engineering. He is the person responsible for coordinating the car’s setup according to the data and feedback coming from Maranello.

This has become something of a routine: whenever the team struggles, someone is quickly targeted as the scapegoat, as if removing a single piece could fix an entire system. In previous years, the finger was pointed at Mattia Binotto, then Enrico Cardile, later Frédéric Vasseur, and now at another engineer, relatively unknown to most fans. But if Ferrari has been facing challenging periods for several seasons, and if some individuals who left Maranello have since found success elsewhere, it is natural to wonder whether the real issue lies deeper within the structure.

No one outside the team truly knows what goes on inside the factory or what the internal atmosphere is like. However, in Austin, the team quickly took action to silence the negative rumours circulating in the media. Their first move was to put the man at the center of the storm, Matteo Togninalli, in front of the microphones to explain what had really happened in Singapore — particularly regarding the braking issues and the lack of correlation between the simulator data and on-track performance.

The drivers’ words

After Matteo  Togninalli, it was the drivers’ turn to speak, and both used every opportunity to remind everyone how united the team remains, while criticizing the media’s interpretation of events. “It’s a complicated moment. There are many rumours around the team, and I really don’t understand where they come from. They’re not true, and that’s the frustrating part. I hope for a good weekend so we can focus on what really matters. It’s not great to arrive here after disconnecting from social media and then be asked questions about things you can’t even understand,” Charles Leclerc told journalist Mara Sangiorgio.

Lewis Hamilton had already echoed the same sentiment during the press conference, emphasizing the unity within the Maranello squad. “The team has made its support for Fred clear, and we’re all working together toward the future. These rumours don’t help us,” the seven-time Formula 1 world champion said firmly, shutting down speculation about internal division.

These were precise, targeted messages designed to protect the team and close ranks around a common goal. It was a way of saying: “We’re not going to reveal what’s happening inside the factory, but don’t worry — everything is under control. Don’t distract us, because in 2026 we’ll be back at the top.”