Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has firmly defended his commitment to Ferrari after the team's president John Elkann suggested the British driver should concentrate more on his driving and speak less frequently.
The Ferrari Feud Escalates
The tension within the Scuderia Ferrari camp became public after Hamilton described his debut season with the legendary Italian team as "a nightmare" following another disappointing performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix. This frank assessment prompted an equally blunt response from Ferrari president Elkann, who publicly advised Hamilton to "focus on driving and talk less".
Speaking ahead of this weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix, Hamilton maintained that his relationship with Elkann remains "great" but strongly disagreed with the suggestion that he needs to focus more on his driving duties.
Hamilton's Exhausting Ferrari Commitment
"Not really, I wake up thinking about it and I go to sleep thinking about it and I think about it when I'm sleeping," Hamilton responded when asked if Elkann's comment was fair. "If anything I have to focus on being able to unplug more. It's been a really heavy year. It's been the busiest year that I think I've had. I've been at the factory more than I think I was at any other factory before."
The Mercedes defector joined Ferrari at the beginning of the 2025 season with high expectations but has endured what he describes as an "immensely trying" first year with the team. Hamilton has yet to secure a single podium finish wearing the famous red racing suit.
No Quick Fix for Ferrari's Problems
Hamilton emphasised that transforming Ferrari's fortunes requires patience and systematic work rather than instant solutions. "I joined this team knowing full well that it takes time to steer a ship in a different direction," he explained. "This is a huge thing, it's a huge organisation. There's so many moving parts, you can't fix it in the click of a finger."
The British racing icon acknowledged the season hasn't met anyone's expectations at Maranello. "It takes real time. Of course, it's not been what any of us wanted in terms of a season, with the troubles that we've had and the results that we've had. We've just continued to push on, full steam."
Hamilton currently sits sixth in the drivers' championship standings, trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc by 66 points. Leclerc also addressed Elkann's comments, noting they were aimed at both drivers and explaining that the Ferrari president had clarified they reflected his competitive desire to win rather than personal criticism.
As the Formula 1 circus arrives in Las Vegas for the 22nd race of the 24-meeting season, there are no indications that Ferrari will show significant improvement on the challenging street circuit. Cold temperatures and potentially wet conditions on the low-grip track are expected to create difficulties for all teams.
Meanwhile, in the championship battle, Lando Norris leads the world championship by 24 points from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and 49 ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen. While Norris cannot clinch the title in Nevada, a strong performance could give him a decisive advantage heading into the penultimate round in Qatar.
