Lewis Hamilton has shared that he advised Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur to `not be so sensitive` after a radio exchange controversy during the Miami Grand Prix.
Hamilton expressed frustration during Sunday`s race. He was faster than teammate Charles Leclerc and caught up, but wasn`t immediately given permission to pass and pursue Kimi Antonelli`s Mercedes for sixth place.
The seven-time champion sent multiple radio messages showing his frustration as the pit wall delayed, initially refused, and then eventually allowed his request. By then, Hamilton felt his tyres had degraded too much.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton commented:
“I lost a lot of time behind Charles, and in that moment, I was definitely thinking, `Come on, let`s make a quick decision, let`s not waste time.`”
He added:
“I`m sure some people didn`t appreciate certain remarks, but you have to understand the frustration.”
The Ferrari drivers started on different tyre strategies. After the sole pit stop cycle, Hamilton, who started 12th, was on the quicker medium tyres, while Leclerc was on the harder compound.
After both drivers overtook Carlos Sainz at the same corner to reach seventh and eighth positions, Hamilton immediately asked the team over the radio to swap positions.
The team initially told him to wait, then stated they would maintain the current order and ensure he stayed within DRS range of Leclerc.
Hamilton responded angrily, calling the decision “not good teamwork” and bringing up the Chinese Grand Prix, where he had offered to let Leclerc pass because his teammate had better pace.
Ferrari eventually reversed their decision and swapped the drivers. A radio message from Hamilton around this time captured him saying sarcastically:
“Have a tea break while you`re at it, come on!”
Hamilton believed significant tyre life was lost while he was stuck behind Leclerc. After finally getting past, he couldn`t significantly close the gap to Antonelli. Later in the race, he was instructed to let Leclerc pass him back.
After letting Leclerc by, Hamilton sarcastically asked if the team wanted him to “let Sainz through as well” when he was informed of the gap to the following Williams car.
Speaking to journalists in Miami, Hamilton was asked if he had spoken to team principal Vasseur before his post-race interviews.
He responded:
“Fred came to my room. I just put my hand on his shoulder and said, `Dude, calm down. Don`t be so sensitive.`”
Hamilton added that his radio comments could have been much worse, noting:
“You hear some of the things other people have said in the past. Some of it was sarcasm.”
He emphasized the intense pressure drivers face, concluding:
“You`ve got to understand, we`re under a huge amount of pressure in the cars, you`re never going to get the most peaceful messages come through in the heat of the battle.”
“I Won`t Apologize for Being a Fighter!”
Hamilton`s tenure with Ferrari, following his high-profile move from Mercedes, has had a challenging start. While he secured a Sprint pole and victory in China, his overall results with the Italian team have been modest. His best Grand Prix finish is fifth in Bahrain. Miami proved particularly difficult, as both Hamilton and Leclerc faced significant struggles in qualifying, below the team`s championship expectations.
Hamilton clarified that his frustration expressed over the radio on Sunday was largely due to the team`s overall performance difficulties. He firmly stated he would not apologize for showing his competitive spirit.
“I don`t know what you`re going to write or whether I was disrespectful,” he said, “I honestly don`t feel I was. I was just like, `Come on, guys, I want to win.` I still have that fire in my belly. I could feel a bit of it coming out, and I`m not going to apologize for being a fighter; I`m not going to apologize for still wanting it.”
He expressed confidence in the team`s potential:
“I know everyone in the team does too. I truly believe that when we fix some of the problems we have with the car, we`ll be back in the fight with Mercedes, with the Red Bulls.”
He concluded with hope for improvement:
“It just can`t come quick enough. We`ll try something different at the next race, we`ll keep working on our processes. I look forward to a time when maybe I can fight for a podium; that would be nice.”
Leclerc Responds: No Ill Will Towards Hamilton
Leclerc had been the stronger Ferrari driver in the three races before Miami but also struggled significantly there, giving noticeably disappointed interviews earlier in the weekend. Although calmer than Hamilton on the radio during the race, he also expressed concerns about the team`s strategic decisions.
Leclerc stated:
“It`s a difficult situation. Unfortunately, I`ll give the predictable answer and won`t comment too much.”
He acknowledged issues, saying:
“It`s obvious that`s not how we want to manage a race. We will discuss it internally to make better decisions.”
Regarding his teammate, he affirmed:
“There are no bad feelings for Lewis, absolutely not. As a team, we just need to perform better, and today demonstrated that.”
He concluded by emphasizing his commitment:
“I`m doing my best. I`m giving everything I have for us to be a better team, to have a better car, to improve. That`s our main focus.”
