Former F1 team boss: John Elkann wrong to publicly blame Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Guenther Steiner criticizes Ferrari president John Elkann for publicly attacking Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Guenther Steiner has strongly criticized Ferrari president John Elkann after he publicly attacked Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the aftermath of Ferrari’s disastrous weekend. The tension erupted following the extremely poor performance at the São Paulo Grand Prix, where both Ferrari cars retired from the race, causing the team to lose third place in the Constructors’ Championship. A visibly frustrated Elkann suggested that Hamilton and Leclerc “should focus more on driving and talk less,” a remark that immediately sparked backlash.

Lewis Hamilton — who described his first season with Ferrari as an “nightmare” — and Charles Leclerc responded by calling for greater unity within the team. Speaking on the podcast The Red Flags, Guenther Steiner accused John Elkann of showing “poor leadership” by choosing to criticize his drivers publicly, stressing that such comments should always remain behind closed doors. Guenther Steiner stated: “A president can criticize, but not in public. I would have handled it differently,” adding that public criticism only increases tension inside the team environment.

Guenther Steiner went on to defend Charles Leclerc, emphasizing that the Monegasque driver “puts his heart and soul into everything” and adding: “What more does he want from Charles? He is doing absolutely everything he can.” The former Haas team principal acknowledged that John Elkann might be frustrated after a disappointing season, but insisted that someone in his position should remain clear-minded: “If you’re angry, it’s not the right moment to make public statements. You need to stay calm and strategic.”

Guenther Steiner also reminded listeners that it was John Elkann himself who made the decision to replace Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton over the winter. According to Steiner, if the results are not coming, John Elkann should also accept responsibility for those choices. “If Elkann is unhappy with the drivers, he should look in the mirror. He is the one who made those decisions,” he said.

In conclusion, Guenther Steiner reiterated that any constructive criticism must be delivered privately to avoid further destabilizing the team’s atmosphere. He added: “Formula 1 is already difficult enough; there is no need to add more unnecessary stress.”

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