Ferrari’s lacklustre era as F1 results under Elkann’s lead fall short

Succeeding Sergio Marchionne in October 2018, following his tragic death just a few months earlier, the partnership between Ferrari and Elkann—who also holds top positions at Exor, Stellantis, and Juventus—has so far failed to deliver the expected results, with the performance to date falling short of the standards of the most successful and prestigious Formula 1 team.

Over eight seasons at the helm of the team, Ferrari has managed just 15 wins out of 160 races, with no championships secured and a staggering three seasons without a single victory.

This is compounded by the long list of team principals and drivers who have come and gone over the years. Maurizio Arrivabene, Mattia Binotto, and now Frederic Vasseur have yet to succeed in bringing the Maranello outfit back to the top of the world.

The drivers who have cycled through the team in the past eight years number five—six if you count Oliver Bearman’s one-off race in Jeddah in 2024—including Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and Lewis Hamilton. None of them has managed to win a title, or even fight for one until the end of the season.

The day after the Brazil Grand Prix weekend, during which Ferrari suffered its second double DNF of the season, Elkann urged his drivers to “focus on driving more and talk less.”

The remarks caused a stir among both fans and industry insiders, with 2009 World Champion Jenson Button weighing in on a post dedicated to Elkann and his recent comments.

Here’s what the now-retired British driver, who officially announced the end of his professional racing career just last weekend, had to say.