Ferrari chairman declares ‘guarantee’ amid Maranello turmoil and Charles Leclerc exit links

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Ferrari suffered yet another disappointing race in the 2025 F1 season at the Singapore Grand Prix, and their turmoil has also now started to flood their factory in Maranello.

The Scuderia seem to swing from woe to woe, never able to get their campaign close to the expectations that team principal Fred Vasseur held before a wheel turned in anger. Vasseur thought 2025 could be the year Ferrari win another F1 title, but those hopes are long gone.

Ferrari left the Singapore GP third in the constructors’ standings facing a 27-point deficit to Mercedes after George Russell gave the Silver Arrows their second win of the 2025 season. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are yet to secure Ferrari their first win of the campaign.

Yet Leclerc’s P6 and Hamilton’s P8 in the Singapore GP following a five-second time penalty, sparked by a brake problem, are not the worst results they have endured in 2025. Ferrari had their first-ever double disqualification in China, and both drivers crashed in the Netherlands.

John Elkann believes Ferrari’s staff are their ‘greatest guarantee’ for future success in F1

Now, Leclerc admits Ferrari are the fourth-best F1 team behind McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull. Turmoil is also spreading throughout Maranello, as several departments at Ferrari have strained relationships, and their lack of a unified plan for the 2026 regulations is not helping.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

But Ferrari chairman John Elkann has now stated that the Scuderia’s staff are their “greatest guarantee” for future success. The pride of Italy have not won the F1 drivers’ championship since Kimi Raikkonen lifted the 2007 title or the constructors’ title since the 2008 campaign.

Elkann said at the Capital Markets Days in Maranello, via Motorsport.com: “I want to be clear, this is a personal matter. My commitment is, as president, as majority shareholder and, above all, as someone who has lived Ferrari as a lifelong passion.

“I am committed to ensuring that every decision we make strengthens Ferrari’s uniqueness. I am committed to our people, whose talent and dedication are the greatest guarantee for our future. I am committed to our beloved Ferraristi, who entrust us with their dreams.

“And I am committed to our loyal fans, eager to see us win in F1, just as we are winning in endurance. And it is with pride that we have brought home the Le Mans trophy after three consecutive victories.”

Charles Leclerc is considering leaving Ferrari amid the turmoil spreading in Maranello

It is natural for Elkann to put on a brave face while discussing the future prospects of Ferrari, who trail 2025 constructors’ champions McLaren by 352 points with six Grand Prix and three F1 Sprint races to go. Leclerc and Hamilton are also 163 and 211 points behind Oscar Piastri.

Yet Elkann held a serious meeting at Ferrari’s factory after their woes at the Singapore GP, as well, as the Scuderia’s chairman with CEO Benedetto Vigna bid to pave their path out of this term’s plight. Ferrari are the only one of F1’s top four teams without a Grand Prix win so far.

Only Vasseur still believes Ferrari’s 2025 F1 car has more potential, which goes against what the Scuderia’s racing department believes to be true. Their engineers have already lost any lingering hope that the SF-25 will emerge as anything more than a sporadically fast package.

The 2025 F1 season proving to be such a disappointment for Ferrari has even seen Leclerc’s camp contact Aston Martin to sound out a potential move for 2027. Leclerc may be open to a seat swap with McLaren’s Piastri in the 2027 season, as well, if Mercedes are not an option.