The day after a disappointing Brazilian Grand Prix, which saw Ferrari leave São Paulo with a double retirement and slip to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, president John Elkann decided to speak out. The team’s gap to Mercedes widened, while Red Bull — effectively carried by Max Verstappen alone — moved further ahead. In his latest public appearance, the Ferrari chairman didn’t hold back his words.
John Elkann attended an event at the Hall of Honour of CONI in Rome, where Stellantis and the Milan-Cortina Foundation announced a new partnership. The occasion also provided him with the opportunity to discuss Formula 1, among other topics. Just hours earlier, Elkann had been in Bahrain to celebrate Ferrari’s triumph in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), achieved under the leadership of Antonello Coletta.
That victory marked a remarkable double success for Ferrari in the WEC, with both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles secured thanks to the efforts of Antonio Giovinazzi — who recently became a father — alongside Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado. However, on the other side of the world, Ferrari’s Formula 1 weekend could not have been more contrasting. Charles Leclerc’s race ended prematurely due to the chain reaction triggered by the collision between Oscar Piastri and Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton’s Sunday unraveled after a difficult qualifying session. The British driver suffered damage in separate incidents involving Carlos Sainz and Franco Colapinto, leaving him with an undriveable SF-25. After serving his penalty, Lewis Hamilton’s race ended with a retirement.
John Elkann did not hide his frustration. As he has done frequently in recent months, he drew a direct comparison between Ferrari’s unity and efficiency in the WEC and the ongoing struggles of its Formula 1 operation. “Ferrari wins when it is united — that is what the WEC result taught us,” he said. “When everyone works together, we can achieve great things. Brazil was a major disappointment. In Formula 1, we have mechanics who are always among the best in executing pit stops, and our engineers work tirelessly to improve the car. But the rest is not at the same level.”
The Ferrari president then turned his attention to the team’s drivers, making his expectations clear. “We have drivers, and it is important that they focus on driving, that they speak less, and that they understand we have important races ahead,” he continued. “It’s not impossible to achieve second place in the championship. The most important message coming from Bahrain is this: when Ferrari acts as a single team, we win.” – he concluded, as reported by autoracer.
John Elkann’s comments highlight the growing sense of urgency within Ferrari as the season nears its end. With McLaren untouchable and Mercedes increasingly consistent, unity and discipline will be essential if the Scuderia hopes to recover and end the season on a stronger note. His statement served as both a warning and a reminder — that Ferrari’s greatest victories, from endurance racing to Formula 1, have always come when the team stood together with a shared purpose.
