Hamilton Acknowledges Team Orders Misstep at Azerbaijan GP
Lewis Hamilton has expressed his intent to apologize to Charles Leclerc following a late-race incident during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where team orders were not fully adhered to. The race saw Ferrari implement contrasting strategies, with Hamilton starting on hard tires from 12th and Leclerc on mediums from 10th.
Midway through the race, Hamilton, on the quicker medium tire, caught up to Leclerc, who was struggling in a train of cars. Ferrari instructed Leclerc to let Hamilton pass to optimize their chances. However, despite Hamilton’s attempt to comply, he miscalculated the timing of the move, finishing ahead of Leclerc and resulting in a post-race admission of error.
“At the end, I got the message really late… and I was still hopeful,” Hamilton explained. “I’ll apologize to Charles because at the end of the day, it’s eighth and ninth, but it won’t happen again.”
Leclerc downplayed the situation, noting the insignificance of their positions, given the overall performance of the car. “I really don’t care for an eighth place,” he stated. “If we are fighting for more significant points in the future, we will handle it differently, but on a day like this, I don’t really mind.”
The race was disappointing for Ferrari, which had shown promise in practice but struggled with performance during the event. Hamilton reflected positively on his own progress, stating, “I did go forwards from 12th, which was positive… Clearly, qualifying is very important.”
Both drivers emphasized the need for better communication and strategy in future races as they aim to enhance their performance across the season.
