Lewis Hamilton responds as Ferrari civil war rages - 'Not now, not then, not ever'

Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari race suit in the Ferrari garage — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lewis Hamilton responds as Ferrari civil war rages - 'Not now, not then, not ever'

All is not well at Ferrari

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Tuesday 11 November 2025 11:10

The marriage of Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari was not supposed to be like this - there is very definitely trouble brewing in Maranello right now.

A disastrous Brazilian Grand Prix for the Scuderia brought things to a very messy head in Sao Paulo on Sunday, with both Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc failing to finish the race.

The fallout from that double bagel at Interlagos was significant, with Ferrari chairman John Elkann issuing a brutal statement regarding the team's current ills. And most the heat was directed squarely at Hamilton and Leclerc.

Elkann blasts Ferrari superstars

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Speaking at an Italian Olympic Committee ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Elkann said: "If we look at the season in F1, we can say we have mechanics who are winning the championship with the performances they're putting in, particularly with everything they are doing in our pit stops.

"If we look at our engineers, the car has undoubtedly improved. If we look at the rest, it's not up to standard.

Ouch...

Hamilton issues his own message

While Hamilton did not directly reference Elkann’s comments in the media, the seven-time world champion issued a message of his own that was certainly a powerful reply to the accusations directed at himself and Leclerc.

“I back my team. I back myself. I will not give up. Not now, not then, not ever. Thank you, Brazil, always,” Hamilton wrote on social media.

With three races of the 2025 season remaining, things could not be any worse for Ferrari right now. The team sits a lowly fourth in the Constructors' Championship standings, a massive 394 points behind leaders McLaren.

The Drivers' standings make for equally grim reading, with Leclerc (214) and Hamilton (148) some 176 and 242 points respectively behind championship leader Lando Norris.

Ferrari now head for Nevada and the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which takes place late on Saturday November 22.

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Brazilian Grand Prix John Elkann