Radio call reveals Lewis Hamilton failed to follow Ferrari team order

Lewis Hamilton was ordered to let Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc by on the final lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but failed to do so.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton finished eighth after being allowed through by Leclerc to make the most of his fresher medium tyres with the Ferrari duo running on alternative strategies.

Hamilton slowed down as he crossed the line just 0.464 seconds ahead of teammate Leclerc, who was left to settle with ninth on another disappointing weekend for Ferrari.

An untelevised radio message has since revealed that Ferrari had instructed Hamilton to let Leclerc back past, but the position swap did not happen despite the 40-year-old Briton’s apparent attempt to do so.

Leclerc’s race engineer Bryan Bozzi was heard telling his driver: “So, Charles, we want to swap the cars in turn one and let Lewis try with the mediums.”

As Leclerc began the 51st and final lap, he was informed: “We will swap back at the end of the lap on the main straight if Lewis doesn’t overtake.”

Bozzi then added: “Lewis will let you by on the main straight.”

Meanwhile, Hamilton was told by his race engineer Riccardo Adami: “You can let Charles by, he’s one and a half behind you.”

Adami then said: “This is the last lap. Behind him is Hadjar, two seconds, Charles 1.5 behind. Let him by.”

Hamilton visibly slowed down across the line but it was not enough for Leclerc to overtake.

Charles Leclerc downplays lack of switch

Leclerc insisted he did not care about the failed swap when asked about it after the race.

“Honestly for the P8 or the P9 it’s not going to be a big talking point,” Leclerc said.

“I don’t really mind. Usually these are things that we agree between guys and the general rules of how we want to work whenever there is a swap.

“It didn’t happen and that’s okay. It’s not like I would have been a lot happier being P8. So I don’t mind.”

Hamilton was defended by Sky Sports F1 pundit Bernie Collins.

“Obviously Lewis was told to switch position to Charles Leclerc but then he’s also told that Isack Hadjar is only two seconds behind that.

“He’s on this main straight where they are meant to be doing 300kph and he’s trying to let one guy by but not the guy who is just two seconds behind him.

“So it’s a very, very difficult thing to judge, which is possibly why he’s got that ever so slightly wrong there.

“He wanted to give it to Charles Leclerc but not lose position to Hadjar.”