Jenson Button told Sky Sports F1 that Ferrari chairman John Elkann should have taken his concerns directly to Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton instead of criticising them publicly after the Sao Paulo double retirement. After that weekend Elkann said the drivers need to “talk less and focus on driving,” comments Button thinks were better handled one-to-one.
Button acknowledged the unique pressure Ferrari faces. “There’s so much outside pressure and internally for the whole team,” he said, noting the weight of expectation from Italy and within the organization. But he added that Elkann’s role doesn’t preclude a direct conversation with the two drivers in the garage. “He only has two cars in the red garage. It’s very easy to find your racing driver and go and talk to him,” Button said, arguing that private discussion would be a more constructive way to set standards and address behaviour.
Ferrari have had a tricky season. They missed last year’s Constructors’ Championship to McLaren by 14 points, are yet to win a Grand Prix this year, and Hamilton has not been on the podium in his first season at the team. Both drivers are expected to face questions about Elkann’s remarks during media day for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Button also highlighted concerns about Hamilton’s competitiveness. The 40-year-old has struggled at times this season — he was eliminated in the second part of Sprint Qualifying and in Qualifying at Sao Paulo — and currently trails Leclerc 16-5 in the main qualifying head-to-head. Hamilton has never completed a season without a podium, a streak that could be at risk this year.
“It’s a shame to see him not performing as well as we expect,” Button said, suggesting it took Hamilton longer to adapt to the Ferrari than anticipated. He pointed out that modern F1 cars are distinct and demand different driving styles, so transitions between teams can take time. Still, Button believes the raw performance has been there in recent races and that small mistakes — particularly in qualifying — have made the difference.
“They’ve just got to fine tune it a little bit to not have the little mistakes in qualifying,” he said, adding that both Ferrari and Lewis on the podium would be important for the sport. Button expects the team to be in the mix for podiums and hopeful they could contend for a victory by season’s end.
Formula 1’s title fight resumes this weekend at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with coverage live on Sky Sports F1.