Lewis Hamilton denies any rift with Ferrari engineer Riccardo Adami, calling split rumours “nonsense” amid F1 team radio scrutiny.
Hamilton insists there is “no issue” between himself and his F1 race engineer, Riccardo Adami, following another race where their radio communications came under scrutiny.
The seven-time world champion received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying, having grown frustrated with his engineer for poorly informing him of the Red Bull driver’s position. He went on to finish fifth in last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton Dismisses Adami Rift
Fresh misunderstandings also occurred during the race, fueling speculation and suggestions that the pair may not be seeing eye to eye during what has so far been a challenging transition for the Briton to Ferrari.
Speaking during media day at the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton was keen to make clear that he has an “excellent relationship” with Adami.
“We’re constantly learning about each other and continuously adjusting the way we work. He’s worked with many different drivers before. There’s no issue,” Hamilton replied curtly.
“There’s a lot of speculation, most of it is nonsense. At the end of the day, we have a great relationship. He’s a great guy and it’s great working with him.”
“We work so hard, both of us, and we can’t get everything right every weekend. Do we have disagreements? Like everyone in a relationship, but we get through them.”
“We’re both in the same boat. We both want to win a championship together. We’re both working to move the team forward.”
“It’s just noise and we don’t really pay attention to it. We can go on like this, but it doesn’t change the work we’re doing.”
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Hamilton Questions Radio Silence
After crossing the finish line and being informed of his final position and the time lost in traffic, Hamilton asked his engineer, “Are you mad at me or what?” and received no reply.
When asked if he had since received an answer to that question, Hamilton responded, “There were radio issues during the race. I didn’t get all the information I wanted, and yes, we spoke afterwards.”
Today marked Hamilton’s 19th Thursday in the Barcelona paddock ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. Any signs of fatigue? What can he hope for with his Ferrari SF-25?
“No fatigue at all. This track is a staple of the calendar and I always enjoy driving here. It has great flow, especially since they removed the final chicane and returned to the original layout.”
“The goal this weekend is to build on the momentum of the last two races and the qualifying session in Monaco. We’ve made real progress and we’re working hard to maximise our strengths. I don’t know how the new rules regarding front wing flex will shake things up, but we’re focused on ourselves. We know the potential is there if we execute well.”
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