BREAKING: Ferrari CRITICIZES False Narrative around Lewis Hamilton’s…read more
BREAKING: Ferrari CRITICIZES False Narrative around Lewis Hamilton’s…read more
Ferrari has expressed frustration with Formula 1’s selective broadcasting of team radio messages, which they believe misrepresented Lewis Hamilton’s role in a position swap during the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Radio Message Controversy
During Sunday’s race in Shanghai, Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc exchanged positions after Leclerc struggled to overtake. However, F1’s decision to air only certain messages created a misleading narrative.
Hamilton initially suggested the swap himself, telling the team, **“I think I’m going to let Charles go, because I’m struggling.”** However, this crucial message was not broadcast to viewers. Instead, F1 aired later exchanges in which Ferrari instructed Hamilton to let Leclerc pass, making it seem as if Hamilton was resisting team orders.
When Ferrari informed Leclerc on Lap 18 that “Lewis will let you by into Turn 14,” Hamilton replied, “I will when he’s closer.” By Lap 20, Ferrari again called for the swap, but Hamilton delayed it, saying, “I’ll tell you when we’re going to swap.” He eventually let Leclerc through at Turn 1 rather than Turn 14, as instructed.
Leclerc, clearly confused, expressed his disappointment over the radio: “This is a shame. The pace is there.”
Ferrari Slams “Joke” Radio Edits
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was unhappy with how F1’s media team, Formula One Management (FOM), handled the situation.
“I think this is a joke from FOM because the first call came from Lewis,” Vasseur stated. “Lewis asked us to swap, but to create the mess around the situation, they broadcast only the second part of the conversation. We will discuss this with them.”
Vasseur emphasized that Hamilton had initially volunteered to switch places, and the delay came as the team assessed race conditions. “The collaboration between the two guys is mega, and I can’t complain about anything,”he added. “This situation happens ten times a season at other teams, but because of the way it was shown, people think there’s a problem.”
Hamilton had already raised concerns about misleading radio broadcasts earlier in the season after a similar incident in Australia suggested tension between him and his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
A Nightmare Weekend for Ferrari
Despite the internal harmony Ferrari insists exists between their drivers, their Chinese Grand Prix ended in disaster. Both Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth on track but were later disqualified due to post-race scrutineering failures, capping off a frustrating weekend for the team.
