Ferrari chief’s call for focus over chatter follows Sao Paulo setback
Ferrari chairman John Elkann has urged his team’s Formula 1 drivers to concentrate on performance behind the wheel, saying they must “focus on driving and talk less” after a difficult weekend in Sao Paulo. The comment, delivered in the aftermath of the Brazilian Grand Prix, underscores the Italian outfit’s desire to return to form after a challenging phase that culminated in a double retirement that left the team seeking momentum for the season’s closing rounds.
Elkann’s remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of the driver lineup, which features three-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the blue-and-red#-tinged hopes and Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s in-house star, tasked with delivering the pace and consistency that once defined the team’s era of dominance. While Hamilton has a long history of success and a proven ability to extract performance from a car, Leclerc is seeking to translate raw speed into steady points as Ferrari navigates the complex balance between raw speed and reliability.
The Sao Paulo event, held at the Interlagos circuit, proved punishing for Ferrari as the team endured a double DNF that disrupted its race-day plans and put additional pressure on the management to reassess strategy and in-race decisions. Elkann’s call for restraint appears aimed at reaffirming a culture of focus within the garage, where technical teams, engineers, and drivers must align behind a clear, common objective rather than getting distracted by social media narratives or a barrage of external commentary.
Historically, Ferrari has thrived on a disciplined approach—one that emphasizes precision in setup, data analysis, and race execution. Elkann’s message reflects a broader philosophy: the factory’s resources are best deployed when the drivers align with the plan, minimize on-track incidents, and push for consistent point-scoring performances. In a sport where tenths of a second separate winners from the rest, the mental discipline to stay on task can be as decisive as any aerodynamic upgrade or power unit improvement.
From a technical perspective, Ferrari has recently been weighing developments to the SF-XX, the team’s latest iteration designed to extract maximum grip and downforce while keeping tire management in mind. The drivers’ feedback, combined with the engineers’ simulations, will shape the car’s setup in coming races. Elkann’s remarks may reflect a strategic pivot toward optimizing the interplay between driver confidence and car behavior, ensuring that Hamilton and Leclerc can push within defined constraints rather than chase risk for marginal gains.
For Hamilton, a veteran of the sport who has battled for championships across different eras, the call to focus could be interpreted as a reminder that experience remains a powerful asset in translating potential into podium finishes. For Leclerc, who has shown scintillating speed but has at times been undone by reliability and strategic missteps, the emphasis on focus could be a wake-up call to convert raw speed into consistent scoring sessions. The aim is not to dampen ambition but to channel it through disciplined execution, especially as the season approaches its climax where every point matters for the team’s standing in the constructors’ standings.
As Ferrari charts a path toward the final races of the calendar, the leadership’s emphasis on concentrated performance is a signal to fans and rivals alike that the team intends to stay the course. The formula is simple in theory: clear communication, fewer in-lap distractions, rapid decision-making, and a car that responds predictably to driver input. If Elkann’s message resonates, Ferrari could see a return to form as Hamilton and Leclerc pair their experience with the team’s evolving package to chase results that reflect the potential long hinted at by Ferrari’s storied history.
In the coming weeks, all eyes will be on how the drivers heed the chairman’s advice. With the season tapering toward its finish, the performance narrative at Ferrari hinges less on bravado and more on disciplined drive, precise setup, and optimized race execution — a combination that could finally translate speed into the outcomes the team has been pursuing since the start of the year.
