Lewis Hamilton was fuming over the radio to his Ferrari engineer Riccardo Adami as he found himself trapped behind teammate Charles Leclerc on higher performance tires at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion’s patience was wearing thin as he struggled to maintain his tire performance while following in Leclerc’s dirty air.
“How far are people ahead of Charles? I’m just burning up my tyres behind him,” Hamilton questioned, clearly frustrated by his position on track.
When informed that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was approximately six seconds ahead of Leclerc, Hamilton’s frustration increased: “So you want me to just sit here? [behind Charles] the whole race?”
After Adami promised to return with an answer, Hamilton escalated his complaints: “This is not good team work. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
The British driver then referenced the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season where he had accommodated team strategy: “In China I got out of the way when you were on a different strategy!”
Though Adami eventually confirmed they would swap positions, Hamilton’s sarcastic response-“Ah! Have a tea break while you’re at it! Come on!”-demonstrated his growing impatience with Ferrari’s slow decision-making.
Hamilton’s debut season at Ferrari has been a struggle despite an early season sprint win in China.
“It’s been a tough year so far but… I never thought it was going to rain in Miami. Its the first time we’ve been on track in the wet here and what a race it provided us,” the former Mercedes driver said after the Miami sprint race on Saturday.
Leclerc crashed ahead of the sprint race as rain began to pour onto the track. He received a reprimand following this for driving an unsafe vehicle.
The reasoning:
“Any driver whose car has significant and obvious damage to a structural component which results in it being in a condition presenting an immediate risk of endangering the driver or others, or whose car has a significant failure or fault which means it cannot reasonably return to the pit lane without unnecessarily impeding another competitor or otherwise hindering the Competition must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.
“At the sole discretion of the Race Director, should a car be deemed to have such significant and obvious damage to a structural component, or such significant failure or fault, the Competitor may be instructed that the car must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The driver was reprimanded:
“This is the driver’s first reprimand for the 2025 season.
“Reason The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 16 (Charles Leclerc), the team representative and reviewed video evidence. Car 16 hit the wall in Turn 10 and sustained significant damage. Nonetheless, the driver continued on track (at a low speed) and only stopped before Turn 14, after being told to do so by the team.
“The Stewards note that incidents during the Reconnaissance Laps will be regarded in the same way as incidents during Free Practice and therefore a reprimand is considered appropriate.
“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.
“Decisions of the Stewards are taken independently of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines and evidence presented.”
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