F1 legend Urges Hamilton to Show Tougher Stance and demand for

F1 legend Urges Hamilton to Show Tougher Stance and demand for Engineer Re… read more

Formula 1 legend Juan Pablo Montoya has voiced strong opinions on Lewis Hamilton’s difficult start to life at Ferrari, suggesting the seven-time world champion needs to assert more authority and consider replacing a key member of his team. Montoya believes that Hamilton’s current working relationship with race engineer Riccardo Adami is proving to be detrimental and has called for the Briton to take decisive action to turn around his 2025 season.

Hamilton’s debut campaign with Ferrari has so far failed to meet expectations. While his teammate Charles Leclerc has already secured three podium finishes in the SF-25, Hamilton has struggled to extract consistent performance from the car. The disparity has raised questions about internal dynamics at Ferrari, particularly between Hamilton and Adami, whose radio communications have been noticeably strained during several races.

Montoya, speaking to AS Colombia, didn’t hold back in his criticism. He emphasized that Hamilton must start showing frustration and demand change if necessary. “At some point, Lewis is going to have to get angry and suddenly ask for a change of engineers or something,” Montoya said. “Because if he makes a change of engineers, it would be good for the people around him to say: ‘Do I work with Lewis or will he take me out?’”

Montoya pointed to Adami’s conduct over the team radio as a red flag. He suggested that Adami’s lack of communication or professional tone could be undermining Hamilton’s confidence and overall performance. “The engineer, the attitude of not answering the radio—you have to be more professional than that,” he said. “A person like that isn’t healthy for him, the team, it’s not healthy for anyone personally.”

In a strong remark, Montoya added that if he were managing the situation at Ferrari, he would have already taken disciplinary action against Adami. “If I were with Ferrari, I would have pulled his ears and said: ‘You do that again, and you’ll be working at a desk in the office. We’re not interested in people like you, do you understand?’”

Hamilton and Adami’s rocky relationship has become a talking point throughout the season, with several uncomfortable radio exchanges drawing public attention. One notable moment came during the Miami Grand Prix, when Hamilton sarcastically told Adami to “take a tea break” as he waited for team orders involving Leclerc. Another awkward exchange occurred in Monaco, where Hamilton asked if Adami was “upset” with him, only to be met with silence—a moment that Montoya described as unacceptable in a professional racing environment.

Despite these publicized incidents, Hamilton has downplayed any personal tension with Adami and insisted their working relationship is intact. However, given Ferrari’s underwhelming results and the apparent communication breakdowns, Montoya’s comments have intensified the scrutiny on whether Hamilton would benefit from a new race engineer to boost his competitiveness and morale within the team.

As the 2025 season continues, all eyes will be on how Hamilton navigates these internal challenges—and whether any major changes will be made to help him reclaim his co

mpetitive edge.