Charles Leclerc arrived in Las Vegas trying to keep his mind on the weekend ahead, but there was no escaping the conversation swirling around Ferrari. The team’s double retirement in Brazil had left a sour taste, and Ferrari chairman John Elkann made headlines soon after with a remark that stirred things up even more.
Elkann told Italian media that the team’s drivers should “focus on driving and talk less,” and for a driver, words like that can land heavily, but Leclerc handled the moment with a calm and mature attitude.
Charles Leclerc Keeps It Honest and Open
Leclerc has spent years inside the Ferrari family long enough to understand how emotions rise and fall in this environment. Ferrari dropped to fourth in the constructors’ standings, which naturally brought frustration from the top, and Leclerc found himself on the receiving side of the criticism, even though he was caught out as an innocent passenger in the collision that ended his race in Brazil.
Instead of pushing back, he explained the context behind Elkann’s message and said that the boss had actually called him before making the comments on television. According to the Monegasque driver, the intention was not to point fingers but to remind the team how important it is to stay sharp and not as a personal hit.
Leclerc seemed to appreciate the honesty and said, “We are aligned and I’ll do absolutely everything in order to bring back Ferrari to the top. This I’ve always said in the past and I’ve always tried my best. I’ll try to do better. That really is the priority in the team and what we want to achieve.”
“John has always been very honest with me. And I think that is very rare; I’ve seen that throughout my career, when you are in Formula 2, Formula 3, it’s very easy to meet people that are honest with you. When you get to Formula 1 and your status changes a little bit, it’s a lot more difficult to actually find people that are honest with you,” he added.
Leclerc said that he takes criticism in a constructive way and sees it as a chance to improve, and did not feel attacked or read Elkann’s words as a negative statement about his work.
Ferrari Stay Focused Despite the Noise
Leclerc also pointed out that the team remains focused and unified even as the outside noise gets louder. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, also shared a similar view and explained that he and Elkann speak regularly and that their relationship is strong, and brushed aside the idea that there is any tension inside Ferrari.
Both drivers understand the pressure as Ferrari came into the year with high expectations after a strong finish to the previous season. With the addition of Hamilton and early talk of a title push, the hopes were big, but results have instead been mixed, which naturally draws attention from fans and media.
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Leclerc reminded everyone that, despite everything, the team’s goals remain clear and Ferrari is still chasing second place in the constructors’ standings, where both drivers are working to squeeze as much as they can out of the final races.
He said he continues to breathe F1 and the Prancing Horse every day and still pushes himself to be better, and for now, Ferrari turns its attention to closing out the year as strongly as possible, with both drivers focused on building a better foundation for the future.
