Chandhok pinpoints Ferrari’s issue, and it’s not the ‘not up to par’ rest

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton would be fighting McLaren for the title if the Ferrari SF-25 was up to the challenge, but it’s just “not fast enough”, says Karun Chandhok.

His comment was made in response to Ferrari president John Elkann’s claim that his drivers should “talk less”, as he called out “not up to par” aspects within the team.

Karun Chandhok: Ouch

Elkann raised eyebrows in the Formula 1 paddock when he compared Ferrari’s Brazilian Grand Prix that ended in a double DNF to Ferrari’s championship double in the World Endurance Championship.

Ferrari won the Manufacturers’ title by 74 points ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing, while Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado clinched the Drivers’ title.

But just over an hour after the chequered flag fell at the 8 Hours of Bahrain, Ferrari‘s Sao Paulo Grand Prix imploded as first Leclerc and then Hamilton retired from the race, both out with crash damage.

Elkann made his thoughts clear.

“Brazil was a huge disappointment,” Elkann said at an event in Milan.

“In Formula 1, we have mechanics who are always first in performing pit stops. The engineers work to improve the car.

“The rest is not up to par.

“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.

“This is the most important message coming out of Bahrain: when Ferrari is a team, we win.

“Ferrari wins when it is united, as the WEC results have shown us. When everyone is together, great things can be achieved.”

More on John Elkann’s Ferrari comments

👉 Ferrari chair’s ‘talk less’ criticism a rallying cry, but should the team first look inwards?

👉 Lewis Hamilton issues pointed statement following incendiary comments from Ferrari president

Chandhok, though, has a different opinion.

He puts the blame for the Leclerc and Hamilton failure to win a grand prix solely on the car, saying it just not fast enough.

And if it were, the teammates would’ve been fighting for the World title.

“Ouch…” Chandhok wrote on X.

“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.”

The former F1 driver’s comment comes in the wake of Jenson Button’s rather cold response to Elkann’s comments.

“Maybe John should lead by example,” he said on social media.

Ferrari has yet to win a grand prix this season while only Leclerc has featured on the podium, doing so seven times. The teammates are fifth and sixth in the Drivers’ standings with Leclerc 92 points ahead.

The Monegasque driver had been fighting with Max Verstappen and George Russell to join the Mercedes teammates on the F1 2025 season’s podium, but Verstappen’s late-season run of seven successive podiums put an end to that.

It also helped Red Bull take third place off Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship where the Italian team trails the Milton Keynes squad by four points.

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