Drivers take over Ferrari’s accounts before the Singapore GP
Singapore – Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton took over Scuderia Ferrari’s official Instagram account ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix,
swapping the team’s polished content for selfies, fan replies and a live broadcast. It was not a hack. Ferrari allowed its two drivers to run the channel, and the result was an unusually informal day for the team’s social media output.
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Here is what happened, what it means and what comes next for Ferrari.
Key Facts at a Glance
Who: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
What: A sanctioned takeover of Ferrari’s official Instagram profile
When: The lead-up to the Singapore Grand Prix weekend
Highlights:
New profile picture, selfies, fan replies and a live broadcast
Not confirmed: Any takeover of Ferrari’s X account
What Happened During the Ferrari Instagram Takeover?
Ferrari’s profile picture was changed to a photograph of the two drivers together.
Images and posts shared directly by Leclerc and Hamilton then appeared on the account, with no traditional editorial line behind them.
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The approach marked a clear break from the structured content that normally defines the team’s channels.
Why Did the Instagram Live With Gasly and Bottas Matter?
The pair hosted a live broadcast and tried to bring Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas into it.
For a few moments, only Leclerc’s voice was audible. The technical slip gave the stream an unscripted feel that rehearsed brand content rarely achieves.
How Did Leclerc and Hamilton Engage With Fans?
Direct replies defined the day. Leclerc answered one supporter with the message
“Hi Matty this is Charles how are you?” It was a small moment,
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yet it showed the kind of personal contact that official team accounts seldom provide.
Did the Takeover Reveal Anything About Ferrari’s Weekend?
No. Reporting on the event states that nothing in it offered new information about the car, race strategy or expectations for Singapore.
Its value was cultural and commercial: access to two drivers in a setting far removed from press conferences and television interviews.
Why Social Media Strategy Matters to Formula 1 Teams
Social media has become central to the sport’s growth. Formula 1’s audience has widened in recent years,
helped in part by Netflix’s Drive to Survive, and younger fans often follow the sport through social platforms.
Ferrari holds a strong hand here. Hamilton and Leclerc are among the most-followed drivers on the grid,
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which gives any joint content significant reach.
Does the Takeover Change the Hamilton and Leclerc Narrative?
Reports after the Italian Grand Prix in September described friction between the teammates, and Hamilton called for a code of conduct.
A joint, good-humoured takeover offers a visible counterpoint. It cannot, however,
resolve questions about on-track relations, which will be judged on results.
What Brands Can Learn From Ferrari’s Approach
Official team accounts typically prioritise polish, partner visibility and message control.
Those qualities protect commercial relationships but can make content feel distant.
By handing the account to its drivers, Ferrari traded a measure of control for spontaneity and closeness.
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There are risks. Live formats are unscripted, and an account that speaks for a global sporting institution carries obligations a personal profile does not.
This time, the worst outcome was a brief audio problem.
What Should Fans Expect at the Singapore Grand Prix?
Attention now turns to the Marina Bay street circuit, one of the most physically and mentally demanding venues on the calendar.
Heat, humidity and night-time conditions test engineers, strategists and drivers alike.
Social media goodwill will not change the competitive realities Ferrari faces there.
Verification: What Is Confirmed and What Is Not
Multiple reports confirm the Instagram activity, including the profile picture change,
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selfies, fan replies and the live broadcast. Claims of a parallel takeover of Ferrari’s X account had not been independently verified at the time of writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Ferrari Instagram account hacked?
No. Ferrari allowed its drivers to run the account, so this was a deliberate takeover rather than a security breach.
Who took over Ferrari’s social media in Singapore?
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ran the team’s Instagram profile ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Who did the drivers try to include in the live?
They tried to involve Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas, but for a few moments only Leclerc could be heard.
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Did the takeover include race strategy information?
No. Reporting indicates it contained no new details about Ferrari’s car or plans for the weekend.
Conclusion
Leclerc and Hamilton’s Instagram takeover gave Ferrari supporters something results alone cannot deliver: personality.
A team’s following is built on podiums, but also on the sense that its people are approachable and its culture is alive.
By stepping aside, even briefly, Ferrari let that culture speak for itself.
The takeover revealed nothing about the car, yet it showed how the team can use its star pairing to reach a younger, digital-first audience as the season enters its final stretch.
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The real test now moves to the Marina Bay circuit, where Leclerc and Hamilton will swap their phones for steering wheels.
When a team trusts its drivers to speak for it, supporters tend to listen.
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