Lewis Hamilton confirmed he has addressed the confusion involving Charles Leclerc and Ferrari’s team orders during the 2025 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, assuring his teammate that such miscommunication will be prevented in future races. The incident unfolded late in the race in Baku, where team strategy decisions affected their finishing positions.
Details of the Team Orders Incident in Baku
Ferrari endured a challenging weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with both drivers struggling to find consistent form. Hamilton ended the race in eighth place, narrowly ahead of Leclerc, as both followed different tire strategies—Leclerc on medium tires and Hamilton on hard tires. Leclerc’s race was hampered when he became stuck behind Liam Lawson, which allowed Hamilton to close the gap in the final laps.
In an attempt to maximize their overall result, Ferrari directed Leclerc to let Hamilton pass to give him a better opportunity to overtake the cars ahead: Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lando Norris. However, Ferrari then requested that Hamilton give the position back to Leclerc on the final lap. Hamilton’s delayed response meant he crossed the finish line ahead of his teammate, creating confusion and some frustration within the team.
Leclerc’s Perspective on the Mix-Up
Despite the apparent mix-up, Charles Leclerc remained unbothered by the incident, emphasizing the low stakes of their final race positions. Speaking on Sunday in Baku, he said,
“Honestly for the P8 or the P9 it’s not going to be a big talking point,”
Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc explained that such exchanges usually occur smoothly between drivers with clear agreements on position swaps, but acknowledged that it didn’t happen this time without any significant impact:
“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.”
Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton’s Reassurance and Communication Improvements
At the Singapore Grand Prix event later in the week, Hamilton confirmed that he had a conversation with Leclerc to clarify the situation and expressed confidence that similar issues would not recur.
“I spoke to Charles. Everything’s fine,”
Lewis Hamilton told reporters in Singapore.
“Charles’ been great, and, yeah, we worked on communication to make sure that doesn’t happen again. It won’t happen again.”
Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari’s Struggles and Areas for Growth After Azerbaijan
Ferrari’s difficulties extended beyond the team orders error. Despite showing promising speed in practice sessions in Baku, both drivers faced setbacks during qualifying. Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 after the team denied his request for a fresh set of tires, while Leclerc crashed in Q3, forcing him to start 10th on the grid.
Reflecting on these issues, Hamilton said,
“We make decisions together, and then just our execution in qualifying,”
Lewis Hamilton explained.
He noted a missed opportunity to use the medium tires, which were faster by three-tenths of a second:
“That again, that’s areas that we can improve on and make sure we don’t do that.”
Lewis Hamilton.
Looking Ahead: What This Means for Ferrari and Their Drivers
The team orders mix-up and the qualifying setbacks highlight Ferrari’s ongoing challenges with strategy execution and internal communication. While Leclerc has remained calm and focused, Hamilton’s remarks suggest a determination to address these weaknesses to improve race outcomes. Their ability to coordinate effectively and avoid such mishaps could be critical as they continue the 2025 season.
With close competition ahead, especially involving drivers like Lando Norris and Liam Lawson, Ferrari will likely prioritize refining their decision-making processes to maximize performance in upcoming Grand Prix events.
