Ferrari accounts briefly taken over by Leclerc and Hamilton
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 9, 2026
Ferrari takeover
Ferrari spent media day ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend cleaning up after Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton briefly took over the team’s official social media accounts, then issued a playful apology once control returned. The stunt centered on Ferrari’s Instagram account and spread across the team’s channels, where the two drivers posted reels, photos and other lighthearted content that turned the team’s digital presence into a live-running joke for fans. Ferrari said two people had gained unauthorized control of its accounts and that full control had been restored. It also said the two suspects had been identified, then moved quickly to reset the tone with an apology that matched the playful nature of the takeover. The episode gave Ferrari an unusual public-facing moment at the start of the weekend, one that blended team branding, driver personality and social media theater without straying far from the paddock. The account change was obvious from the start. Ferrari’s profile image was replaced with a selfie of Leclerc and Hamilton, a small but clear sign that the team’s channels had been handed over. The drivers also showed up in multiple Instagram Lives, which made the takeover feel more like an ongoing broadcast than a single post. Fans reacted positively, and the response helped turn what could have been a routine social media interruption into a widely shared bit of entertainment. Ferrari did not present the episode as a problem that lingered. It framed the moment as brief, handled and closed, then returned to the buildup for the Singapore Grand Prix weekend with its accounts back under team control.
Leclerc and Hamilton
The content itself leaned into behind-the-scenes access and driver banter. Leclerc and Hamilton posted photos and videos from Ferrari’s garage and hospitality area, giving followers a closer look at the team environment during a busy media day. Hamilton toured the garage and hospitality space in the material shared during the takeover, while the posts also showed both drivers interrupting meetings and using filters on each other. That mix of access and playfulness drove most of the attention. It showed two of Ferrari’s biggest names stepping away from the usual polished team messaging and using the account for quick jokes, candid moments and visible chemistry. Leclerc added his own bit of self-awareness by asking fans about his hair in one of the posts, another sign that the takeover was designed to be informal and fan-facing rather than promotional in the usual sense. The social posts included reels, photos and other playful clips, all of which kept the tone loose. The profile change, the live appearances and the stream of content created a short burst of activity that stood out because it came from the team itself. For Ferrari supporters, the appeal was simple. They got a look at the drivers away from the track, inside the working parts of the team, and in a setting where both men were clearly comfortable enough to joke around. The reaction online reflected that. Fans embraced the stunt, and Ferrari’s quick apology only added to the sense that the whole exercise was meant to be taken in stride. The takeover worked because it felt spontaneous, even as it stayed inside the bounds of a controlled team account once Ferrari got it back.
Standings context
The social media episode came as both drivers arrived at the Singapore Grand Prix weekend in strong position in the standings. Hamilton entered the weekend third with 214 points, while Leclerc was fourth with 191. Those numbers gave the stunt an extra layer of relevance, because the two drivers were not just front-and-center in Ferrari’s digital space, they were also central to the team’s on-track story. Their standings placed them near the top of the championship chase and kept Ferrari in the middle of the conversation as the weekend began. The takeover did not change that competitive backdrop, but it did give the team a lighter moment before the racing resumed. Ferrari’s accounts showed the two drivers in a more relaxed setting, then quickly returned to normal once the brief control issue ended. That sequence fit the broader image the team projected through the episode. It stayed close to the drivers, acknowledged the disruption, and restored order without turning the moment into a bigger issue. The result was a short, memorable detour during media day, one that mixed personality with performance context. Hamilton’s and Leclerc’s standings made their presence on Ferrari’s channels feel even more prominent, since both men entered the weekend with clear championship stakes. Ferrari’s response kept the tone measured. The team apologized, said control had been restored and identified the suspects. Fans, meanwhile, treated the whole thing as a novelty worth enjoying.
