Lewis Hamilton has responded in emphatic fashion to Ferrari chairman John Elkann, after the Scuderia boss publicly urged both Lewis Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc to “focus on driving.” The comments, made in the aftermath of a bruising Sao Paulo Grand Prix, placed the spotlight firmly on Ferrari as the Formula 1 paddock regathered in Las Vegas for the next round of the 2025 season.
The Interlagos weekend had been one of Ferrari’s lowest points of the year. Despite promising speed in earlier races, the team left Brazil with only six points collected during the Sprint — Leclerc’s P5 and Hamilton’s P7 — before suffering a double retirement in the Grand Prix itself. Both drivers were out of the race within the opening 38 laps, marking the team’s second double DNF of the season after the crash-filled Dutch Grand Prix.
For Lewis Hamilton, the frustration has been mounting. The seven-time world champion admitted that his start to life at Ferrari has felt like a “nightmare,” with his wait for a podium in red now stretching across 21 consecutive race weekends. His points tally reflects the struggle: sixth in the drivers’ standings with 148 points, trailing Charles Leclerc’s 214. Meanwhile, Ferrari remain mathematically in contention for second in the constructors’ standings, but Mercedes and Red Bull are still holding them off.
Hamilton rejects Elkann’s claims that he should ‘focus on driving’
John Elkann’s remarks — which also included the suggestion that the drivers should “talk less” and put their energy into Ferrari rather than themselves — were widely viewed as unusually blunt. The chairman issued them the day after the Sao Paulo race, immediately sparking debate across the F1 community about internal pressure within the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton has now addressed those comments and made it clear that he did not consider them justified. Speaking to reporters, he explained that he thinks about Ferrari constantly, describing a schedule dominated by work, travel, and factory commitments. He insisted that his challenge was not a lack of focus, but rather the difficulty of finding time to switch off during an extremely intense year.
The 40-year-old noted that he has spent more hours at Ferrari’s facilities than he ever did at previous teams, highlighting the depth of his effort to integrate fully into Maranello’s culture and push for meaningful progress.
Hamilton’s dedication to Ferrari underscores why Elkann’s criticism missed the mark
The Briton’s comments ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix effectively shut down any notion that he is not fully committed to Ferrari. Elkann’s criticism, delivered during an event connected to the 2026 Winter Olympics, came as a surprise to many — but Lewis Hamilton’s response has reinforced the message that he is doing everything in his power to elevate the team’s performance.
Despite being in his first season with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton is in his 19th year as a Formula 1 driver, and his experience with McLaren and Mercedes has given him a wealth of knowledge. He has reportedly handed Ferrari an extensive set of internal documents with recommendations for structural and operational improvements — a sign of how deeply he is investing in the long-term direction of the Scuderia.
The idea that Lewis Hamilton needs to “focus more” is difficult to justify when he describes waking up and going to sleep thinking about the team. Even if his phrasing carried some exaggeration, it reflects the emotional intensity he brings to his work. Throughout his career, Lewis Hamilton has been open about his feelings when results fall short.
His self-criticism has been a recurring theme this season. After qualifying only P12 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, he remarked that Ferrari “needed to change the driver,” and he labelled himself “absolutely useless” on that occasion. His comment in Brazil that the season has been a “nightmare” fits into that familiar pattern of brutal honesty.
For now, Lewis Hamilton’s latest response serves as both a message to John Elkann and a reminder to the F1 world that, despite the setbacks, his determination to succeed with Ferrari is unwavering.
Leave a Reply