Jenson Button sends blunt message to Ferrari chairman John Elkann after his harsh criticism of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc

Ferrari chairman John Elkann’s post-race comments following the Brazilian Grand Prix have drawn reactions from the motorsport community. 2009 world champion Jenson Button has given a firm response to the team's performance this season.

Elkann’s remarks, made after the São Paulo race weekend, reflected growing frustration within Ferrari’s upper management. Speaking to Italian media, the chairman praised the team’s mechanics and engineers but questioned the performance and focus of other departments, including the drivers.

“If we look at the F1 championship, we can say that on one hand we have our mechanics, who are basically winning the championship with their performance, particularly with everything they have been done on the pitstops,” Elkann said. “If we look at our engineers, there’s no doubt that the car has improved. If we look at the rest, it is not up to standard. And surely we have drivers for whom it is important that they focus on driving and talk less, because we still have important races ahead of us and it is not impossible to achieve a second place.”

After Elkann publicly urged Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to “talk less and focus on driving,” Jenson Button replied:

“Maybe John should lead by example.”

Sebastian Vettel's comment on John Elkann's Brazil GP interview. Source: @skysportsf1 via Instagram

As the post gained traction, fans debated whether Elkann’s message was a fair assessment or misplaced criticism amid Ferrari’s ongoing struggles. The comment came after another difficult outing for the Maranello-based team at Interlagos, as it suffered its second double DNF of the season. Both Leclerc and Hamilton were forced to retire due to early-race collisions, with neither driver completing more than half the distance.

That result has dropped Ferrari from second to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, sitting 36 points adrift of Mercedes and four behind Red Bull, with only three rounds remaining.

Elkann's comments were interpreted by many in the Italian media as a pointed criticism of Hamilton, who has endured a difficult start to life at Ferrari. The seven-time world champion has yet to score a podium finish in his first season with the Scuderia, as the team has not yet scored a race win for the first time since 2021.

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Ferrari drivers echo John Elkann’s call for 'unity' in 'team' after tough São Paulo weekend

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton of Scuderia Ferrari at Baku City Circuit. Source: Getty

At Interlagos, Lewis Hamilton qualified 13th. The Briton was involved in an early incident when Carlos Sainz clipped the left side of his car, damaging his front wing. After Gabriel Bortoleto's crash brought out a Safety Car on Lap 2, Hamilton got an opportunity to pit for repairs. However, significant floor damage compromised the remainder of his race.

Charles Leclerc’s race came to an abrupt end moments later. Battling for the second place with Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri on Turn 1, the Monegasque was hit by the Mercedes rookie, who was spun by the McLaren driver. The impact broke Leclerc’s front-left suspension, forcing him to retire the car at Turn 4. Hamilton, struggling with balance, retired on lap 37.

Following John Elkann’s public statement, both Ferrari drivers took to Instagram and echoed his thoughts on the weekend’s events. Hamilton shared a carousel of images and wrote:

“Brazil. Thank you for all the love, always. In the end, it wasn’t the race we wanted. It’s gutting, especially after some good progress, but we will move on. I back my team. I back myself. I will not give up. Not now, not then, not ever.”

Leclerc, too, posted his thoughts, writing:

“A very difficult weekend in São Paulo. Disappointing to come back home with nearly no points at all for the team in what is a critical moment of the season to fight for the 2nd place in the constructors championship. It’s uphill from now and it’s clear that only unity can help us turn that situation around in the last 3 races. We’ll give it all, as always ❤️”

Ferrari now turns its focus to the final stretch of the 2025 season, heading next to the Las Vegas Grand Prix before wrapping up the year in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. With hopes of second place in the Constructors’ standings still mathematically alive, the Scuderia will look to regroup in search of a strong finish to a turbulent campaign.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam