F1 NEWS: F1 Responds to Ferrari’s Criticism Over Hamilton R…read more
SHANGHAI, CHINA - MARCH 23: Oliver Bearman of Great Britain driving the (87) Haas F1 VF-25 Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 battle for track position during the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Sam Bloxham/LAT Images)
F1 NEWS: F1 Responds to Ferrari’s Criticism Over Hamilton R…read more
Formula One Management (FOM) has addressed Ferrari’s concerns regarding the selective airing of Lewis Hamilton’s team radio messages during the Chinese Grand Prix.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur criticized FOM’s handling of the messages, calling it a “joke” and arguing that it created a misleading impression of Hamilton’s role in the decision to swap positions with Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari’s Frustration Over Edited Messages
During the race, Hamilton originally suggested switching positions on Lap 18, telling his race engineer, “I think I’m going to let Charles go, because I’m struggling.” However, this message was not included in the world feed.
Instead, the first radio exchange aired came on Lap 20, when Ferrari instructed Hamilton, “We are swapping cars at Turn 14,” and he responded, “When he’s closer, yeah.” This selective editing made it appear as though Hamilton was resisting team orders rather than initiating the swap.
Vasseur argued that this misrepresentation fueled unnecessary controversy, leading to discussions between Ferrari and FOM after the race.
FOM Denies Intentional Bias
FOM responded to Ferrari’s concerns, stating that “there was absolutely no intention of presenting a misleading narrative.” They explained that Hamilton’s earlier message was omitted due to other race events, such as Lando Norris overtaking George Russell.
“Due to other situations developing during the race, the message from Lewis was not played, but this was not intentional,” an FOM spokesperson clarified.
Despite F1’s explanation, the controversy highlights ongoing frustrations among teams regarding how selective radio broadcasts can shape public perception, particularly when it comes to intra-team decisions.
