Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc said they had spoken to Ferrari chairman John Elkann ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and were not concerned about his comments after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which appeared to be critical of them.
Elkann also appears to have doubts about the unity within Ferrari’s F1 team, saying after the two DNFs at Interlagos that “it’s important for[drivers]to concentrate on driving and not talk too much.” However, Mr Hamilton said he speaks regularly with Mr Elkann and his post-Brazil social media posts were not in response to those comments.
“John and I talk every week,” Hamilton said. “We have a great relationship. I didn’t have any reaction to it. I don’t really think about those things.”
“There was no response (to the post). I didn’t actually see it when I posted it, I was flying. I only found out about it when I got home, so I didn’t get any response. It was from the weekend.”
When the comment “we don’t talk much” was made to Hamilton, he said there should be shared responsibility for the team’s disappointing performance so far this season, but he felt Ferrari were united.
“I mean, I always want to do less media appearances! But no, seriously, I think we all need to take responsibility on this team and I think everyone needs to do their part,” he said. “And I know this team, all the members of this team, are very passionate.
“I am extremely grateful to everyone back at the factory for their extraordinary efforts week in and week out. And of course, knowing your team is Ferrari always attracts a lot of attention, but not necessarily in a good way.”
“But we are all committed to turning this situation around, and I am committed to helping this team rebuild and grow. Every challenge is an opportunity for us to grow and learn. I strongly believe we can get to where we want to be.”
“I’m not going to compare it to other teams, because they’re completely different, but I’m always inspired. First of all, going back to the factory gives me a great feeling every time. You know, there’s something very romantic about going to the Ferrari brand.
“I think there’s great harmony within the team. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I think everyone’s focused on taking what we’ve learned from this year and building for a better future. Every time I go back to the factory to see everyone, that’s encouraging. Of course there are areas we need to improve, and that’s what we’re working on.”
Leclerc echoed Hamilton’s sentiments, saying Elkann had already contacted Hamilton before learning of the Ferrari chairman’s comments.
“John and I have known each other for many years,” Leclerc said. “We have a very good relationship and have worked together for many years. We know each other and I know that John is a very ambitious person and wants to push everyone to the maximum to get the maximum result. He loves Ferrari, I love Ferrari too. We all love Ferrari and try to do the best in every situation.”
“I didn’t really watch the news. John called me beforehand to catch up, as he always does after a race. He also told me that the message he wanted to send was a positive one and that we need to do better.”
“It’s clear to everyone. We are united and we will do everything we can to get Ferrari back to the top. This is what I have always said in the past, we have always done our best, we will strive to be even better. That is really the team’s priority and what we want to achieve.”
“We’re united. It’s a very important message for this to pass. I understand there’s a lot of fuss around the team right now, but the relationship between John and I and John and the team hasn’t changed at all. We’re united.”
“He’s been very clear about what he’s said. He’s always been very honest with us. When he says something, he means it. He’s talked to all of us the same way he usually does. And he’s been very clear about what he means, which is good for us.”
