Lewis Hamilton`s heated radio communications with his Ferrari team during the Miami Grand Prix drew significant attention and debate.
Employing a different tire strategy compared to his teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton became increasingly annoyed after their pit stops. He quickly closed the gap to Leclerc but felt held up when he wasn`t immediately given permission to pass and chase down George Russell`s Mercedes for sixth position. (Note: The original text incorrectly mentions Kimi Antonelli; analysis suggests it was likely George Russell he was aiming for).
The seven-time world champion sent a series of frustrated messages as the pit wall hesitated, initially denied, and then finally approved his request to swap positions. By then, Hamilton felt crucial performance had been lost from his tires.
His comments included the suggestion that the decision-making wasn`t “good teamwork.” He also referred back to the Chinese Grand Prix, where he swiftly allowed a faster Leclerc to pass him without issue.
Hamilton`s frustration manifested in sarcasm during the team`s delayed response, stating, “Have a tea break while you`re at it, come on!”
Later in the race, when Ferrari asked Hamilton to let Leclerc back through as the Monegasque driver showed stronger pace, the Brit sarcastically asked if the team also wanted him to “let [Carlos] Sainz through as well,” referencing the Williams car that was running behind the Ferraris at the time.
Post-race, Hamilton downplayed the exchanges, revealing he had told Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur not to “be so sensitive” about them. He defended his radio messages, insisting he could have said much worse and that some comments were made sarcastically.
“You`ve got to understand, we`re under a huge amount of pressure in the cars,” Hamilton explained, “you`re never going to get the most peaceful messages come through in the heat of the battle.” He stated he would not apologize for his remarks.
Reasons Behind Hamilton`s Sarcasm Explained
Speaking on The F1 Show, Sky Sports F1 analyst Ted Kravitz offered three potential scenarios to explain Lewis Hamilton`s “sassy and sarcastic” tone over the radio during the Miami race.
Kravitz suggested it was perhaps the first time Hamilton experienced the infamous indecisiveness often associated with Ferrari`s strategy calls – a trait that has previously frustrated drivers like Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
Scenario one: Hamilton feels comfortable and secure within the team environment, allowing him the confidence to voice his opinions frankly without worrying about negative repercussions.
Scenario two: He is genuinely unhappy with the strategic execution and is using his radio messages as a way to push for improvements and help the team, particularly strategy head Ravin Jain, become more decisive and responsive.
Scenario three: Potentially, Hamilton is unhappy or disillusioned and simply doesn`t care about publicly criticizing the team anymore. However, Kravitz stated he didn`t believe this third scenario was the most likely reason.
Target of Hamilton`s “You Guys” Comment Identified
Regarding Hamilton`s use of the phrase “you guys” when expressing frustration, Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle highlighted it. Ted Kravitz believes this was directed at the centralized Ferrari strategy department, rather than specifically at his race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
Kravitz explained that Ferrari`s strategy department is somewhat compartmentalized, and the race engineers have limited autonomy regarding strategic decisions. This contrasts with other teams, like McLaren, where engineers are more integrated into the strategy discussions.
He questioned why the strategy team wasn`t fully prepared for Hamilton`s alternative hard-to-medium tire strategy, suggesting they should have anticipated the potential scenarios in pre-race meetings.
Kravitz concluded that this separation likely led Hamilton to address the strategy “guys” in their “little bunker,” feeling frustrated by the slow processing time for decisions during the race.
Brundle`s Take: Ferrari Needs Substance, Not Panic
Martin Brundle suggested that the underlying cause of Hamilton`s frustration is Ferrari`s disappointing performance level this season. After Hamilton`s highly anticipated move, the team was expected to challenge for the championship, particularly having finished closely behind McLaren for second in the constructors` title the previous year.
Aside from a Sprint race victory in China, Ferrari has not genuinely contended for wins in any of the main Grands Prix this season, with only one podium finish (Leclerc in Saudi Arabia).
Brundle found the sarcastic tone of Hamilton`s messages telling, reflecting his upset. He noted the frustration of being stuck behind cars like the Haas (which uses a customer Ferrari engine) of Esteban Ocon – a position far below where Hamilton would expect to be.
Despite Ferrari`s current struggles, Brundle advised against a knee-jerk reaction like sacking team principal Fred Vasseur, even as pressure builds, particularly with the upcoming home race at Imola.
Brundle acknowledged the team`s deep unhappiness given their expectations with a driver lineup featuring Leclerc and Hamilton. However, he strongly warned against acting like a “football team” by firing personnel for the sake of change, stating this wouldn`t solve the root problems.
He stressed that Ferrari being the “fifth-fastest team” in some instances is a significant issue. He added that if they knew how to improve the car, they would. Brundle predicted “heavy conversations” would be taking place within Ferrari to address their performance deficit.
The European part of the F1 season is set to begin shortly with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Marcus Prine