Lewis Hamilton Risks Stirring Tensions at Ferrari After Miami GP Strategy Blunder
Lewis Hamilton may have caused a stir within Ferrari after making sarcastic radio remarks during the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, as tensions continue to rise amid poor strategic decisions by the team. The seven-time world champion, who recently joined the iconic Italian team, appeared visibly frustrated with how Ferrari handled their race strategy – particularly their indecisiveness in managing team orders between him and Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton and Leclerc finished the race in seventh and eighth respectively, despite Hamilton having delivered a strong performance just a day earlier in the Sprint race where he secured a podium. However, the main Grand Prix told a different story, with Ferrari once again finding themselves embroiled in tactical confusion.
The controversy revolved around Ferrari’s delayed decision to let Hamilton pass Leclerc while both drivers were chasing down Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton, who was on the faster medium tyres compared to Leclerc’s hard compound, was clearly the quicker driver at the time. However, Ferrari hesitated for four laps before instructing Leclerc to move aside, a delay that cost Hamilton valuable time and allowed Antonelli to pull away.
Frustrated by the delay, Hamilton sarcastically told his race engineer, “Have a tea break while you’re at it,” a biting remark aimed at the team’s sluggish decision-making. Leclerc, too, was unimpressed with the situation, describing the mid-race position swap and subsequent re-swap as “stupid.”
F1 pundit Ewan Gale, speaking on The Total Motorsport F1 Show, said Ferrari’s failure to act swiftly reflected a strategic collapse. He emphasized that with Hamilton on the faster tyre, it should have been a straightforward call to let him through quickly: “It’s just blindingly obvious. Hamilton was calling for it, and that’s when the sarcasm came out. It’s funny, but it cost them positions.”
Gale also highlighted another radio message from Hamilton that may have added salt to Ferrari’s wounds. After the final swap had been executed and the gap to Carlos Sainz behind him was relayed, Hamilton asked, “Do you want me to let him through as well?”—a pointed dig that Gale believes was fully intentional. “Ferrari is a very proud team, the team of Italy. Hamilton knows the power of words on the radio. That comment wasn’t offhand; it was calculated.”
Drawing comparisons to Fernando Alonso’s infamous “GP2 engine” comment directed at Honda during his McLaren days in 2015, Gale noted that seasoned drivers know precisely when and how to use the radio to make a statement. “Just like Alonso waited until the Japanese Grand Prix to say it, Hamilton’s timing here felt just as deliberate. It was his way of saying, ‘This needs fixing.’”
Brandon Sutton, another F1 expert, echoed these sentiments, pointing out that the radio exchanges revealed more than just tactical disagreements—they reflected deep frustration with Ferrari’s current form. “Both drivers felt they did everything right during the race,” Sutton said, “but they were still stuck in seventh and eighth. That’s where the real tension lies.”
The result only added to Ferrari’s woes in the championship standings. While Red Bull and Mercedes continued to pull ahead, Ferrari lost more ground—most notably to Williams, who outscored them on Sunday thanks to Alex Albon’s impressive P5 finish. The continued underperformance has not only weakened their title hopes but is also testing the patience of their high-profile drivers.
In what was supposed to be a rejuvenating season for Ferrari, the Miami Grand Prix instead served as another chapter in their ongoing struggles. With Hamilton now openly criticizing the team’s strategic blunders and Leclerc growing visibly irritated, internal harmony may be increasingly difficult to maintain—especially if results don’t improve soon.
