At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, Lewis Hamilton‘s challenging weekend with Ferrari culminated in a frustrating final laps incident involving a team order, highlighting the ongoing difficulties he faces since transferring to Maranello. The veteran driver finished eighth after a race marked by strategic confusion and missed opportunities for Ferrari.
Hamilton’s Struggles Continue with Ferrari in Baku
The seven-time Formula 1 champion, once a regular podium finisher with McLaren and Mercedes, has found consistent winning performances elusive since joining Ferrari earlier this year. Sunday’s race in Baku reflected this trend as Hamilton managed only an eighth-place finish despite starting from twelfth on the grid. After the race, Hamilton expressed relief:
“I’m happy I moved forwards from 12th,”
acknowledging the modest progress amid an otherwise difficult weekend.
Team Orders Cause Friction Near Race End
Late in the 51-lap race, a position swap occurred between Hamilton and his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc on lap 43, positioning Hamilton to challenge Lando Norris for a higher spot. Hamilton showed better pace on medium tires, prompting the team to instruct him to hold position initially. However, as he struggled to pass Norris, Ferrari radioed Hamilton to give Leclerc his position back.
The team’s race engineer Riccardo Adami communicated firmly:
“Let Charles by, he’s one and a half [seconds] behind you…this is the last lap.”
Hamilton was also alerted,
“Behind is Hadjar two seconds, Charles 1.5 behind, let him by.”
Despite this, the message reached Hamilton too late, leaving insufficient time on track for a clean pass back to Leclerc.
Hamilton Apologizes for Misjudging Team Instructions
After the race, Hamilton admitted the mistake came down to timing and focus.
“At the end I got the message really late on, and I was like zoned in on the car in front of me, even though there was like 0.0001 per cent chance of passing, I was still hopeful maybe,”
he explained. He added,
“Basically I did lift on the straight, and did actually brake, but he missed it by like four tenths.”
Acknowledging responsibility, Hamilton apologized, saying,
“That was just a misjudgment by myself. I’ll apologise to Charles. At the end of the day that’s eighth and ninth.”
Leclerc Dismisses Controversy Over Position Swap
Charles Leclerc appeared unfazed by the confusion surrounding the team order, downplaying its importance given the lower points positions at stake. He stated,
“I really don’t care. For an eighth place, I don’t think that this should be the talking point.”
Context of a Difficult Weekend for Ferrari
Ferrari’s weekend in Baku was marked by an overall lack of competitive edge compared to frontrunners like Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who stunned fans with a dominant performance. Hamilton’s inability to execute smooth team strategy and convert pace into higher placement emphasizes Ferrari’s current struggles. The incident between Hamilton and Leclerc adds pressure to the Italian outfit as they aim to regain consistency and clear communication in future races.
Looking ahead, the outcome at Baku highlights the need for Ferrari to refine their coordination between drivers and improve on in-race decision-making. For Hamilton, the focus remains on adapting to the team environment and extracting maximum performance from the Ferrari car to restore his reputation as a top contender in Formula 1.
