Leclerc should stand up to Ferrari – Following Ferrari’s disappointing performance in Brazil, the team’s internal drama has suddenly become public knowledge. John Elkann was forthright in his criticism of his two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, in front of the Italian media. Now, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has weighed in, suggesting that Leclerc in particular shouldn’t simply nod politely and accept the criticism.
“If I were Charles Leclerc, I’d definitely ask what this is all about,” Schumacher told Sky. “I think he’s doing a fantastic job and getting the best out of both the team and himself. Plus, he’s a likeable guy who fits right in at Ferrari. He’s a family man and is getting married soon. I’d send my manager over to ask him what it’s all about.”
Schumacher’s advice is clear: don’t just take it on the chin. Reflecting on his own racing career — 180 starts in F1 between 1997 and 2007 — he adds: ‘In such a situation, I would always come up with a plan B with my manager, and I would do the same in his place now because I wouldn’t let myself be taken for a ride.’
Politics at Ferrari heating up
The heat at Ferrari is palpable. Following the São Paulo GP, Ferrari president John Elkann appeared to pour gasoline on the fire. Speaking at an event in Rome last Monday, Elkann told his drivers to “drive more and talk less”. He went on to compliment the team’s mechanics and engineers, pointing out that the car had improved; however, he noted that the drivers themselves hadn’t met the same standard.
Schumacher believes that Elkann’s remarks were far from casual. “You know John Elkann,” he said. This wasn’t flippant at all. Things are really heating up. Expectations are high, and he has made some decisions, such as signing Lewis Hamilton, that are now putting him under internal pressure. That’s why he’s making this statement.”
In other words, Ferrari’s management might be under strain from chasing glory while managing the egos and reputations of two superstar drivers.
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Hamilton’s misfortune and Leclerc’s dilemma
Hamilton’s weekend in Brazil didn’t make things any easier. The seven-time world champion damaged his car’s underbody in an early collision and later received a time penalty. By the time the race reached lap 38, Hamilton had been lapped due to his substantial deficit, prompting Ferrari to retire him from the race entirely.
Meanwhile, Leclerc, though spared the worst of the mechanical chaos, finds himself in a delicate position. On the one hand, he’s a star driver performing at a high level. On the other hand, he is now the target of public criticism from his own team president, a position that would be unpopular with most. Schumacher’s advice? Don’t back down, don’t offer up any polite apologies and make sure the team recognises your worth.
Probably the best advice Ralf has offered in public for many years.
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Lewis Hamilton finds himself in good company having been lambasted by Ferrari group chairman, John Elkann. When Fernando Alonso was driving for the team in 2013, he was asked what he would like after as a birthday present after finishing a lowly fifth in Singapore. The Spaniard quipped: “someone else’s car.”
This sparked a furore in Maranello with the PR department releasing an unusual statement about a conversation between the then chairman, Luca de Montezemolo and his Spanish driver. “All the great champions who have driven for Ferrari have always been asked to put the interests of the team above their own,” it opened.
According to the statement, Di Montezemolo also insisted that “this is the moment to stay calm, avoid polemics and show humility and determination in making one’s own contribution, standing alongside the team and its people both at the track and outside it”.
Alonso’s ear “tweaked”
It also remarkably revealed that Di Montezemolo had said in the team meeting on Monday that, “there is a need to close ranks, without giving in to rash outbursts that, while understandable in the immediate aftermath of a bad result, are no use to anyone”.
It was also reported that there Ferrari boss had called Alonso to wish him a happy birthday, but during that call Montezemolo had “tweaked his ear” for his latest comments. A year later and after another Ferrari failure as the 2014 new V6 turbo hybrid era was ushered in, Fernando left the Scuderia reportedly saying he believed they could not win another championship. He blamed the dysfunctional nature of how the team operated for this damning conclusion.
Lewis Hamilton along with team mate Charles Leclerc this week also received an “ear tweak” from the current Ferrari chairman. John Elkann praised the engineers and the mechanics of the Scuderia for doing an excellent job.However, he lambasted his drivers stating, “We have drivers who need to focus on driving, talk less, and we have important races ahead of us, and it is not impossible to finish second.”
In his post race interview in Brazil, Lewis described his first season at Ferrari as a “nightmare” yet it was not this which drew the ire of the Ferrari boss. Prior to the summer break, Hamilton revealed he had “called” a number of meetings with department heads in Maranello and that, “I’ve sent documents. I’ve done [that] through the year.” …READ MORE
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