Charles Leclerc has insisted that Ferrari chairman John Elkann's extraordinary statement was delivered with 'clear intentions', as he publicly addressed it for the first time.
After the Brazilian GP, where Ferrari suffered a double DNF, Elkann spoke about Ferrari's recent title success in the WEC, and that the F1 pit crew are set to win the fastest pit-stop award, but that he felt the drivers needed to "talk less."
The current season has been one of major disappointment for the Scuderia, which is yet to win a grand prix, and currently sits in fourth in the constructors', 36 points behind second-placed Mercedes in the fight to be runner-up to McLaren. Red Bull is four points ahead of Ferrari.
Addressing Elkann's comments, Leclerc revealed how the Ferrari CEO spoke with him before the statement went public, and that the intentions behind it, from Leclerc's point of view, were "honest" and "very clear."
"John and I have known each other for many years, so we have a very good relationship, and we've been working together for many years," Leclec began to media including RacingNews365.
"John is a very ambitious person and wants to push people to the maximum in order to have the maximum results. 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, like he does after every race, to catch up and to tell me the message he wanted to send, that it was a positive one in saying: 'We need to do better, and that is clear for everyone.'
"We are aligned, and I'll do absolutely everything in order to bring Ferrari back to the top. That's what I've said in the past, and I'll try to do better, and that is really the priority in the team.
"John has always been very honest with me, and I think that is very rare. When you are in F2, F3, it's very easy to meet people who are honest with you, and when you get to F1, and your status changes a little bit, it is a lot more difficult to find people who are honest with you.
"John has always been extremely honest with me, and when he thinks I've done something wrong, or anybody has done something wrong, including him, he will say it.
"When he called me, he told me what the intentions of his words were, and it was very clear it was a positive message, and then whichever way it has been expressed, I cannot really comment.
"It is not my job to comment, but the intent was positive and that's what really matters to me, so I am fine with that, and then whatever is around the team, I cannot control, so I don't spend too much energy on that."
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