Lewis Hamilton has explained why he did not fully comply with a late Ferrari team order during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The British driver finished eighth in Baku, narrowly ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc, after a misjudgment in allowing Leclerc to pass him at the end of the race.
Hamilton had overtaken Leclerc earlier due to different strategies and a clear speed advantage at that stage. However, Ferrari later instructed Hamilton to let Leclerc through before the race concluded. Although Hamilton eased off and even braked to facilitate the pass, he did not slow down enough, resulting in him retaining the higher position by just four tenths of a second.
Hamilton Acknowledges Error and Plans to Apologize to Leclerc
Breaking his silence on the incident, Hamilton admitted that he received the team’s instruction too late to execute it perfectly.
“Firstly…obviously I was quicker [in that moment of the race] but Charles was gracious to let me by,”
Hamilton said. He explained how he was fully focused on catching the car ahead, holding onto a slim chance of overtaking despite the low probability.
Reflecting on his final actions, Hamilton said,
“And basically I did lift on the straight, and did actually brake, but he missed it by like four tenths.”
That was just a misjudgement by myself. I’ll apologise to Charles. At the end of the day that’s [only] eighth and ninth.
– Lewis Hamilton, British World Champion
His admission sheds light on the tension within Ferrari’s strategy management during the race and the challenges drivers face in responding instantly to team orders amid high-speed competition.
Context of the Baku Grand Prix Incident
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix unfolded with intense battles on track as key rivals like Max Verstappen pushed McLaren drivers to the limits. Meanwhile, the FIA had to address other off-track drama including summoning George Russell for a doping test during the event. These elements added layers of complexity to an already unpredictable race weekend.
Hamilton’s mistake, while not impacting championship points significantly, highlighted the fine margins teams navigate when managing orders between teammates in Formula 1.
Implications for Ferrari’s Team Dynamics Moving Forward
This episode emphasizes the delicate nature of team orders in Formula 1, where split-second decisions and communications can influence race outcomes. Hamilton’s willingness to accept responsibility and apologize to Leclerc may help ease any internal tension and maintain Ferrari’s cohesion as the title fight intensifies.
With the championship battle heating up, Ferrari and their drivers will need to sharpen their coordination to avoid similar incidents that risk undermining their collective performance.
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