Riccardo Adami – Lewis Hamilton and the K1 saga: “Don’t repeat things to me I can… read more
Ferrari’s communication issues with their drivers became evident during the Australian Grand Prix, particularly between Lewis Hamilton and his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami. Adami, who previously worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, had a challenging time effectively conveying information to Hamilton during the race. Despite Adami’s best efforts, Hamilton became frustrated with the constant repetition of instructions, a situation that highlighted the need for improvement in communication within the Ferrari team.
The problem became most apparent in their exchanges over the radio. In one early instance, on Lap 4, Adami instructed Hamilton to remain in “Mode Charge” and press the “Charge Button.” Hamilton’s response was clear: “Yes, no problem. Just don’t repeat everything, please.” This back-and-forth revealed Hamilton’s irritation with Adami’s insistence on repeating instructions, even though he had acknowledged the message the first time. This pattern continued throughout the race, with Hamilton’s patience wearing thin.
By Lap 13, Adami suggested Hamilton use the K1 setting when he was close to another car. Hamilton, however, was evidently annoyed and responded, “Leave it to me, please,” signaling that he did not need constant reminders about what to do. Adami repeated the message, saying “K1 is available,” to which Hamilton responded with frustration, reiterating that he already knew and asking again to “leave it to me.”
This ongoing miscommunication was not limited to just the technical instructions. During Lap 25, Adami informed Hamilton about a strategy to avoid having DRS (Drag Reduction System) being denied, advising him to change gear before using DRS. Hamilton’s response showed growing exasperation as he said, “I’m in the car, mate. Leave it to me. DRS is not an issue.” Despite Hamilton’s clear request to manage the situation himself, Adami continued to issue reminders, which further compounded the tension.
The exchanges became even more tense as the weather conditions worsened. On Lap 40, Hamilton asked if more rain was expected, to which Adami confirmed a brief period of rain arriving in two laps. Hamilton’s response showed his concern, stating that the track was already slippery, and he was uncertain if the conditions would improve soon. As the rain began to intensify, Hamilton urged his team to stay alert, but his frustrations continued to surface, especially when Adami told him to stay out on slick tires despite the worsening weather. Hamilton argued, “It’s too slippery. Staying out on these tires is dangerous. I don’t think it’ll dry soon; everything is wet.”
As the race progressed, Adami advised Hamilton to pit, but Hamilton had already made up his mind that staying out was risky. In a final exchange, Hamilton expressed his displeasure, saying, “I thought you said it wouldn’t rain much. We missed a big opportunity,” referring to the team’s delayed decision to pit. Adami responded with “Understood,” but it was clear that the communication breakdown had played a part in the team’s poor performance during the race.
This series of exchanges between Hamilton and Adami exemplified the communication struggles within the Ferrari team, which contributed to a less-than-ideal performance in the Australian Grand Prix. Moving forward, it is clear that improvements in clear, concise communication will be crucial if Ferrari hopes to remain competitive in future races. Hamilton’s frustration with the constant repetition of messages was a key issue, and Ferrari must address these communication inefficiencies to ensure they avoid similar situations in the future.
