Ferrari Dismisses Talk of Tension as Hamilton’s Frustrations Surface
Marc Gené, former Ferrari test driver and current team ambassador, has denied claims of internal conflict within the team, affirming that both personal and professional dynamics remain intact, even amid rising tension.
Lewis Hamilton’s adjustment to life at Ferrari hit another snag during the Miami Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, visibly agitated, voiced repeated frustration over team radio, particularly targeting his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, for communicating during critical braking moments and wheel-to-wheel racing.
In a sarcastic exchange, Hamilton questioned whether Adami wanted to "take a tea break" to discuss position swapping with teammate Charles Leclerc, adding pointed comments like, "This isn’t good teamwork," along with other irritated remarks such as "Jeez" and "fricking."
Leclerc, by contrast, kept his frustrations focused on the car’s underperformance and took a diplomatic approach regarding internal matters. "I’m not sure what I can or can’t say, but we need to have a conversation," Leclerc remarked. "It’s not about trying—we must do better. I’m more inclined to discuss this with the team than with Lewis. I’m not upset with him. There was no ill intent—he was trying to make the most of the situation, just as I was."
He added, "I don’t know what Lewis said exactly, but I don’t take offense. I’ll stick to the boring response: no drama here. There’s no resentment toward Lewis—none at all. The focus should be on improving as a unit."
After the race, Hamilton sought to downplay the tension. "You get frustrated in the heat of the moment," he said. "The question is, are we racing each other or trying to challenge the competition? These things are better discussed internally. I was annoyed then, but I’ve moved on. Some people will twist it and make it seem worse than it was—I was just being sarcastic."
He mentioned a conversation with team boss Fred Vasseur afterward, saying, "Fred came to my room, and I told him, 'Mate, relax. Don’t take it personally.'"
Despite whispers that Hamilton’s outspoken behavior is straining relations with Ferrari management and drawing criticism from the Italian press, he remained unfazed. "Maybe some people are touchy, but I’m not. The truth is, we’re not performing at the level we want."
Vasseur also brushed aside the incident, explaining, "It’s understandable that there’s frustration—it’s never easy to manage a position swap. But they followed instructions. The communication style is a separate issue. They executed the plan we asked for."
Marc Gené also dismissed any notion of team discord, emphasizing, "The drivers have a good relationship with their engineers, and there’s no problem between Charles and Lewis," he told Sky Italia.
Meanwhile, Dutch motorsport commentator Tom Coronel shared a more critical view of Hamilton’s current demeanor. "If you really want my opinion—I don’t enjoy listening to him anymore. He’s not the Hamilton I used to admire. He seems distracted during interviews, always chewing gum, and appears disengaged."