Charles Leclerc reveals phone call from Ferrari boss John Elkann before public criticism of him and Lewis Hamilton

Charles Leclerc revealed that Ferrari chairman John Elkann had called him before publicly criticizing him and Lewis Hamilton after the Brazilian GP. The Scuderia had a double DNF in Sao Paulo, which cost them big in the constructors' championship.

They earned only four points that weekend, courtesy of Leclerc and Hamilton securing P5 and P7 in the Sprint Race. Meanwhile, their closest competitor in the constructors' championship, Mercedes, had a terrific weekend, with a double podium in the Sprint and a 2-4 result in the main race, to leapfrog Ferrari to second place with a 36-point lead heading into the final three-race stretch. Moreover, even Red Bull overtook the Italian team, which now sits in P4.

In the wake of that subpar weekend, John Elkann asked the drivers to 'talk less and focus on driving' by comparing Ferrari's F1 and championship-winning World Endurance Championship squads. It sparked a huge controversy, and ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc addressed the matter.

"John and I have known each other for many years, so we have a very good relationship," the Monegasque said via Autosport. "And obviously, we've been working together for many years. We know each other, and I know John is a very ambitious person and wants to push every people to the maximum in order to have the maximum results."

Leclerc, who was collateral damage after a collision between Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri at Interlagos, also shed light on Elkann's phone call to him before the controversial comments.

"He loves Ferrari, I love Ferrari, we all love Ferrari, and we try to do the best in every situation. I didn't actually see the news. John called me before that, just like he does after every races to catch up, and to also tell me that the messages he wanted to send was a positive one in saying we need to do better, and that is clear for everyone," he added.

Lewis Hamilton also responded to John Elkann's comments on Wednesday, and his answer had a similar ring to it as Charles Leclerc's. The seven-time F1 champion, who described his first season with Ferrari as a 'nightmare' after the Brazilian GP, shared that there was no "blame culture" at the team, and Elkann's comments were made with a positive intent.

Charles Leclerc explains why John Elkann's 'honest' criticism is a breath of fresh air

Ferrari chairman John Elkann at the F1 Italian Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Charles Leclerc has been a part of the Ferrari family since he joined its driver academy in 2016, before his first GP3 (now F3) season. But F1 is a whole new ball game, and drivers who earn their way to the top, especially with Ferrari, a legendary team, their world changes.

Leclerc explained how F1 drivers acquire a higher societal status, and the odds of finding people who can be honest and transparent with them decrease. However, he found John Elkann to be a person who calls a spade a spade.

"When you get to Formula 1 and your status changes a little bit, it's a lot more difficult to actually find people that are honest with you. John has always been extremely honest with me, and when he thinks I've done something wrong or that anybody has done something wrong in the team, he will say it," said Charles Leclerc.

"Whichever way it's been expressed, I cannot really comment, and it's not my job to comment. But the intent was positive, and that's what really matters to me. So that's why I'm fine with that," the Monegasque added.

Charles Leclerc has cemented his P6 position in the drivers' standings and should remain there as the season ends in December. For Ferrari, full focus shifts to the constructors' championship battle against Mercedes and Red Bull heading into the Las Vegas GP.