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F1 fans were left raging after Ferrari Chairman John Elkann was recently seen meeting the US President Donald Trump inside the White House. Elkann, who belongs to the famous Agnelli family from Italy, is the CEO of Exor, which has a controlling stake in the Maranello-based outfit alongside other ventures like Juventus FC and the Economist Group.
The 49-year-old was appointed as the head of the family by his maternal grandfather, Gianni Agnelli, and has been leading the family's multiple businesses since 2004. Elkann has been a regular presence in the F1 paddock and has been at the forefront of Ferrari's decision-making at the top.
Notably, he recently accompanied the Juventus FC to the White House in a special visit to meet the US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. During the visit, the Italian was accompanied by some of the team members and FIFA President Gianni Infantino to promote the Club World Cup. In a picture circulating on social media, the Ferrari Chairman can be seen giving a signed Juventus FC jersey to the US President, with 'Trump 47' written on the back.
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F1 fans took to the social media platform X to share their reactions to John Elkann's visit to the White House, with one fan writing:
"What's the purpose of visiting a war criminal? This is just disgraceful!!"
"I didn’t expect that from Elkann; I feel it’s more about his other business. He wants to get some points from Trump about tariffs, etc. he shouldn’t mix his own business with the team. Looks like he doesn’t know the soccer market here."
"I feel dirty," said a fan.
Here are some more reactions:
"I’m absolutely disgusted that a team I have been supporting since I was a child is with that stupid orange f**k. Whoever decided to do this should be fired immediately," wrote a fan.
"What a f***ing shame," said another.
"Gross," wrote another.
John Elkann was one of the key figures in convincing Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari after the pair discussed the possibility in late 2023.
Ferrari chairman defends Lewis Hamilton's signing
Ferrari chairman John Elkann stated that signing Lewis Hamilton was not a marketing ploy as it would not serve either the Italian team's or the British driver's interest.
Speaking with Time Magazine, the Italian reflected on the move:
“I think it’s really unfair to Lewis, some of the comments saying, ‘This is a marketing operation.’ Truth be told, Lewis doesn’t need that. Ferrari doesn’t need that. What we need to do is win championships and do great things on the track. If that happens, what we can do outside of the track, in some ways, takes care of itself. There are unlimited possibilities.”
There were some apprehensions regarding Hamilton's move to the Italian team, given that they had an already strong lineup comprising Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
