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John Elkann and Fred Vasseur. Photo: RacePictures
F1 News

Pundit claims Ferrari’s problem is ‘the car hasn’t been fast enough’

19:58, 12 Nov
Updated: 20:31, 12 Nov
0 Comments

Sky F1 analyst and pundit Karun Chandhok has weighed in on the recent comments made by John Elkann towards Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

“The root of Ferrari’s problem is that the car hasn’t been fast enough this year.”
- Karun Chandhok
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Karun Chandhok during the Dutch Grand Prix. Photo: Race Pictures

So what was said?

Speaking to the media in Milan, Ferrari chairman Elkann suggested that Hamilton and Leclerc “need to focus on driving and talk less”.

The comment was made after a catastrophic Sao Paulo Grand Prix saw the Prancing Horse fall from second to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, with both drivers retiring in Sunday’s race.

Elkann, who was in Milan to promote the 2026 Winter Olympics, praised the team’s engineers and mechanics but said that other areas at the Scuderia were “not up to standard”.

The chairman also referenced Ferrari’s title success in the World Endurance Championship last week, suggesting that “when Ferrari is united, you get results.”

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John Elkann. Photo: RacePictures

Chandhok has his say

Chandhok took to X to defend the performances of Hamilton and Leclerc and laid the blame on the car rather than the drivers.

He tweeted: “Reflecting on this a bit more… In reality, if the Ferrari was as good as the McLaren this year, then I truly believe that Charles & Lewis would have been title contenders, fighting for race wins.

“The root of Ferrari’s problem is that the car hasn’t been fast enough this year.”

Many fans agreed with the Sky pundit, including world champion Esports driver Jarno Opmeer, who sarcastically tweeted: “I’m sure the 7-time world champion and the guy who dedicated his life to Ferrari are the issue.”

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