Fresh Lewis Hamilton Miami GP radio messages uncovered a heated exchange with his race engineer Riccardo Adami but the Ferrari star remains unapologetic for ‘sarcastic’ remarks amid frustrations.
The seven-time world champion’s highly anticipated first season with the Scuderia has been marked by both optimism and scrutiny but the 2025 Miami Grand Prix exposed the mounting frustrations and strategic discord within the team.
Lewis Hamilton Miami GP radio messages missed by the TV broadcast revealed a tense, at times sarcastic exchange as the Ferrari star criticized team orders which saw him spend much of the race behind slower rivals, ultimately crossing the finish line in eighth place.
Hamilton arrived in Miami seeking to reverse Ferrari’s fortunes after a string of underwhelming results. However, qualifying saw him consigned to 12th on the grid and the early stages of the race found him battling outside the top ten on hard tyres, struggling for grip and pace.
A mid-race Virtual Safety Car offered a glimmer of hope allowing the seasoned driver to pit and rejoin the pack on a fresh set of medium tyres, setting the stage for a crucial strategic decision by Ferrari.
As the race unfolded, Hamilton’s pace on the medium compound was noticeably stronger than that of his teammate Charles Leclerc who remained on the harder tyre.
On lap 26, the British driver wanted his race engineer Riccardo Adami to explain his lack of pace in a radio exchange which was not aired on Sky Sports, he asked: “How is this pace? I can’t really go any quicker.”
Adami reassured him that he was faster than Leclerc, responding: “Now it’s 32.6, and Charles 32.7.” However, Hamilton further complained saying: “My tyres are pretty poor. In general a little bit of understeer here but I don’t know what to say.”
Hamilton closed in on Leclerc and the Williams of Carlos Sainz both fighting for seventh position. It was at this juncture that the now-infamous radio messages were exchanged.
The 40-year old sensing his advantage requested to be allowed past Leclerc to maximize Ferrari’s points haul. What followed was a protracted and indecisive response from the Ferrari pit wall prompting Hamilton to voice his frustration: “Man, you guys… this is not good teamwork. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
The situation escalated as Hamilton referenced a previous race in China where he had moved aside for Leclerc without hesitation. “In China, I got out of the way,” he reminded his engineer.
The response from Adami was measured:“Understood, we swapped the cars” – but Hamilton’s sarcasm was unmistakable as he quipped: “Have a tea break while you’re at it!”
The exchange laid bare the communication breakdown and lack of decisiveness that has plagued Ferrari’s race strategy in recent seasons.
Hamilton was eventually allowed to pass Leclerc but the delay had already compromised his ability to chase down Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli ahead.
The internal discord was further highlighted when Leclerc was later allowed back past Hamilton into seventh place, prompting another pointed message from Hamilton: “Do you want me to let [Sainz] past as well?”
Hamilton remains unapologetic
The aftermath of the race saw Hamilton addressing the radio messages in the media. While he acknowledged the frustration, he was careful to downplay any suggestion of outright anger.
“I’ve still got my fire in my belly, I could feel a bit of it really coming up there,” Hamilton said. “I’m not going to apologise for being a fighter.
“I’m not going to apologise for still wanting it. I know everyone in the team does, too. I didn’t think the decision came quick enough and for sure in that time you’re like ‘Come on!’ but that’s really kind of it.
“I have no problems with the team or with Charles. I think we could do better but the car is not where we really need to be. Ultimately, we’re fighting for seventh and eighth.”
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Despite the public airing of grievances, Hamilton also mentioned that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur visited him and maintained that some remarks were ‘sarcasm’.
“Fred came to my room,” he said. “I just put my hand on his shoulder and told him, ‘Dude, calm down, don’t be so sensitive’. I could have said way worse things on the radio.
“You hear some of the things other people have said in the past. Some of it was sarcasm. You’ve got to understand, we’re under a huge amount of pressure. You’re never going to get the most peaceful messages come through in the heat of the battle.”
Lewis Hamilton Miami GP radio messages are emblematic of Ferrari’s broader struggles in the 2025 F1 season. The team, once a perennial title contender, has slipped to fourth in the Constructors’ standings with both Hamilton and Leclerc often left battling for minor points rather than podiums.
The lack of clarity and conviction in race strategy has been a recurring theme, drawing criticism from former drivers and commentators.
Jenson Button, among others, described Ferrari’s approach as a “circus,” warning that such missteps could derail Hamilton’s championship ambitions.
