Hamilton and Leclerc back Ferrari's Luce despite criticism from former chairman

Ferrari's first all-electric road car, the Luce, has ignited a fierce debate about the Prancing Horse's identity — and it is reaching all the way into the Formula 1 paddock.

Priced at around £474,320, the Luce — Italian for light — represents an unprecedented departure for the Italian marque. No Ferrari before it has been fully electric, and for many purists, that is precisely the problem.

Di Montezemolo's Scathing Rebuke

Few voices carry more weight when it comes to Ferrari's legacy than former chairman Luca Di Montezemolo, and he did not hold back. "We risk destroying a legend, and I'm truly sorry about that," he said, before delivering his most pointed remark: "I hope they at least remove the prancing horse from that car."

It was a damning verdict from a man who dedicated decades to shaping Ferrari's prestige — and a reminder of just how polarising the Luce has become in the marque's most passionate circles.

F1 Drivers Offer a Different Perspective

Yet Ferrari's two current Formula 1 drivers offered a strikingly different take. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc pushed back on the gloom, seeing qualities in the Luce that reflect the brand's DNA rather than betray it.

"In terms of the attention to detail, you can tell that it's very Ferrari," Hamilton said upon first seeing the car — an assessment that will carry weight given his own exacting standards for engineering excellence. It is the kind of observation you would expect from a driver who, even in his approach to race preparation, prizes feel and instinct above all else.

Leclerc, meanwhile, praised the Luce's ergonomics. "I love that it's back to having more physical buttons, so you can actually drive, look at the road and you can feel," the Monegasque said — a comment that speaks directly to driver engagement, a value close to any racing driver's heart.

Behind the Wheel

When it came to actually driving the car, Hamilton took the controls — and wasted no time exploring its performance envelope. The reaction from the passenger seat said it all.

"Whoah! No, no, no, no, no, please don't do that," Leclerc exclaimed, as Hamilton put the Luce through its paces.

Hamilton was effusive about the car's dynamics. "The power delivery is amazing — you just feel centred the whole time, even when you're going through corners. That's probably why I was so relaxed!"

Leclerc also highlighted one of the Luce's more intriguing features: its sound design. While electric silence dominates at normal driving, engaging performance mode introduces an audio signature reminiscent of the traditional Ferrari engine note. "It is so silent inside the car," Leclerc noted — though the performance mode clearly caught Hamilton's ear too. "I liked that electric sound," he said.

A Car That Will Define Ferrari's Next Chapter

The Ferrari Luce sits at a crossroads — a machine that either signals bold evolution or uncomfortable compromise, depending on who you ask. With Di Montezemolo urging the removal of the Prancing Horse badge and Ferrari's own F1 drivers championing the car's character, the debate is unlikely to subside any time soon.

How the market responds when the Luce goes on sale will be one of the most closely watched moments in Ferrari's modern history.