Drivers had eviscerated the new formula after stepping out of their cars following qualifying on Saturday; three world champions in Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris all spoke out about the cars in various ways. Norris had said F1 had traded the best and most enjoyable cars to drive for the worst, and certainly there was a remarkably negative mood over the paddock after qualifying.
"Brazil was a huge disappointment," Elkann said. "If we look at the Formula 1 championship, we can say that on one hand, we have our mechanics, who actually are winning the championship with their performance and everything they've done on the pit stops. "If we look at our engineers, there's no doubt that the car has improved. If we look at the rest, it's not up to par. We certainly have drivers, for whom it's important that they focus on driving and talk less, because we still have important races ahead of us and it's not impossible to get second place [in the constructors' championship]."