Alessandro Benetton calls for leadership as Ferrari crisis deepens

Alessandro Benetton believes Ferrari’s latest slump reflects a lack of strong leadership, as tempers flared again during another disappointing weekend in Singapore.

The team’s struggles were laid bare when Fernando Alonso - a former Ferrari driver - unleashed a furious radio tirade against old rival Lewis Hamilton. "I cannot f*cking believe it," Alonso shouted repeatedly as Hamilton’s Ferrari limped around the circuit with brake issues, cutting corners.

"You can’t drive like that. No respect for the red flag yesterday. Today they think they have the track to themselves."

Hamilton was later penalised for the incident, but team boss Frederic Vasseur insisted there was no safety concern.

"Everything was fine from a safety standpoint," he said. "We adjusted our pace accordingly. It wasn’t about Lewis going crazy on the last lap. He was 30 seconds slower, so from a safety standpoint, he was on the right side of the fence."

Rookie Isack Hadjar, who had also battled Alonso during the race, suggested the two-time champion was simply irritable. "If he didn’t enjoy that fight, he’s very grumpy, and I can’t do anything for him," he smiled, referring to his own wheel-to-wheel battle with the Aston Martin. But at Ferrari, frustration continues to grow. Charles Leclerc admitted confidence in the 2025 car has hit rock bottom.

"I don’t think there’s anything in the car right now that proves to me we’re going to make a step forward," he said. "This is the reality of our situation right now. I don’t really know how to turn it around, because we don’t have any new parts or anything like that."

Red Bull found two steps in the first half of the season and another in Monza, where they made a huge leap forward. Now Mercedes seems to have taken this step too, and we’re the only ones who haven’t found that solution."

Benetton - who oversaw the family’s F1 team before selling to Renault - told Sky Italia that Ferrari’s decline is typical of organisations missing a unifying figure. "It happens in companies that the desire to move forward stops and growth stops, but there must always be someone who can stand out and make a difference and inspire the team," he said.

"I think that during change, companies must identify leaders capable of making a difference. I don’t have one in mind for Ferrari, but they are important figures who must inspire the team."