SHANGHAI (AP) — Lewis Hamilton refuted any claims of frustration with Ferrari’s race engineer, Ricciardo Adami, despite frequently curtailing unnecessary radio exchanges between them at the Australian Grand Prix. “Everyone overreacted,” Hamilton stated on Thursday.
Hamilton had a disappointing debut weekend with Ferrari in Melbourne last week, qualifying eighth and finishing 10th to secure the final point. This outcome quashed the pre-season testing excitement that had positioned Scuderia as a potential contender against McLaren.
The British driver dismissed speculations that he was further irritated by the team’s decisions at Albert Park, including a strategic risk that cost him a potential victory and led to a heated exchange over the radio. Additionally, Hamilton had to deflect superfluous radio communications from his race engineer. “I politely asked for it to be minimized, saying, ‘Leave it to me, please.’ I didn’t use foul language. It was just a critical moment when I was struggling with the car and needed full concentration on a few aspects,” Hamilton explained.
Hamilton stood by his experienced teammate Adami, who had previously worked with Carlos Sainz Jr., now at Williams, and the retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. According to Hamilton, what was necessary was a constructive discussion post-race. “Afterwards,” Hamilton mentioned, “I addressed him saying, ‘Hey, I don’t need that particular information, but if you wish to provide this, I prefer it done this way. This is my feedback on how I feel in the car and when I require certain information.'”
He emphasized that there were no underlying issues and that everything was resolved with a positive attitude. Hamilton also pointed out that his recent radio exchanges were minor compared to those of his F1 competitors, citing instances at Red Bull involving Max Verstappen and his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. “Listen to the radio communications of others — much more severe,” Hamilton remarked. “The conversations Max has had with his engineer over the years, the criticism the poor guy has endured, and it never gets highlighted. However, the slightest discussion I had with mine was magnified.”
Despite the pressure of joining F1’s most successful team, the seven-time world champion demonstrated resilience in the face of setbacks. “Australia wasn’t the race we aspired to have, but it’s not the time to react impulsively. It is what it is,” Hamilton reflected. “A small adjustment could have altered the result significantly, but we look ahead. The team remains driven, everyone is here with heightened spirits, and the atmosphere in the garage is positive. We refuse to be defined by one race.”
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