Unheard Lewis Hamilton Ferrari team radio hints at more strategy friction
A radio message from Lewis Hamilton that wasn't broadcast on TV in Baku hints at further strategy clashes
An untelevised team radio exchange between Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton during the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix hints at further friction over strategy calls.
A crash for Williams driver Alex Albon led to the safety car being deployed on lap 31 of 51 of last Saturday’s Baku race.
All of the leading cars stayed out initially, with teams seemingly anticipating a potential red flag scenario that would negate needing to take a pit stop.
However, everyone would soon box for fresh rubber as Albon’s car was recovered and the damage to the barrier proved to be minimal.
The order remained neutralised, though a previously unheard team radio exchange between Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton suggests the latter was left confused by his team’s decision not to box him as he was informed of the safety car before the pit entrance.
“Was no one watching that happen?”
The radio exchange between Hamilton and race engineer Carlo Santi went:
CS: “Safety car deployed. 20 laps to go.”
LH: “Yeah, just passed the pitlane.
CS: “Mode safety car.”
LH: “Had you seen something like a crash? Like, what?”
CS: “Double yellow, double yellow [Turns] 4-5. Albon in the wall, double yellow four-five.”
LH: “OK. Was no one watching that happen?”
CS: “Please tell me which tyres you prefer: medium or hard? 20 laps to go.”
LH: “Which tyre do you think is the best? What are other people doing?”
CS: “We have seen hard so far. We think medium.”
LH: “I’m gonna lose positions because cars behind…”
CS: “Negative. We are not losing positions.”
The rest of the radio exchange focused on tyres and front wing angle changes.
Hamilton finished the race in sixth, 22.382s from the lead, wiith team-mate Charles Leclerc two places ahead in fourth.
The seven-time world champion had already snapped over team radio in qualifying when asking about traffic, leading to him remarking, “I’ll look on TV”.
This comes as Hamilton expressed upset with Ferrari’s handling of strategies following separate flashpoints with Leclerc at Zandvoort and Monza.
