Ferrari’s d’Ambrosio opens up on Hamilton’s radio frustrations

Ferrari’s solid 3-4 finish in the Austrian Grand Prix has given the Italian outfit a much needed boost, but not everything was smooth sailing over the team radio – particularly from Lewis Hamilton.

In the latter stages of the race at the Red Bull Ring, Hamilton questioned Ferrari’s call to pit on lap 51, insisting his hard tyres were still holding on.

The seven-time world champion’s frustration sparked a post-race debate, prompting Ferrari deputy team principal Jerome d’Ambrosio to step up and defend the team’s call.

Hamilton’s Radio Doubts and Ferrari’s Response

During a tense moment with 20 laps remaining, Hamilton questioned the team’s decision to pit, telling his race engineer Riccardo Adami, “My tyres are okay. Can I extend? How many more laps left?”

Adami confirmed the lap count and called him into the pits, a move Hamilton visibly resisted at first before yielding to the call.

But the Briton’s frustration echoed over the airwaves, reflecting the high-stakes pressure of Ferrari’s bid to maximize their result against a dominant McLaren duo and a chasing George Russell.

D’Ambrosio, standing in for Vasseur after the latter was unexpectedly forced to return home on Sunday morning for “personal reasons”, addressed Hamilton’s concerns post-race with a calm defense of Ferrari’s approach.

“In the end, you know, it’s nothing out of the norm. What we tried to do as a team was to – Austria is very much like that – you try to do your optimal strategy,” he explained.

“So, you know, you try to optimise your race time and that’s what we did with both drivers. To be honest, there was no incentive in doing anything different because [the] McLarens were clearly far ahead and George quite far behind.”

• Read also: Hamilton highlights ‘brake issues’ that Ferrari must fix

The former F1 driver emphasized that Ferrari’s strategy was calculated to secure the best possible outcome, given their position.

“So, we were in between them with both cars and we just did a standard optimal strategy and that was the most straightforward thing to do,” he said.

Just a Driver's Competitive Nature

D’Ambrosio also acknowledged Hamilton’s in-race skepticism as part of a driver’s competitive nature.

“From a driver’s perspective, your question always is, ‘Is it the best? Can we do something else?’ They’re racers, they’re Formula 1 drivers, that’s what they should do and that’s what they do.

“But in the end, just show Lewis now and you look at the numbers and yeah, that’s what made sense.”

Reflecting post-race on events, Hamilton conceded that Ferrari’s call was ultimately sound.

“Yeah, I didn’t know how many laps there were, to be honest, at the time,” he admitted.

“Honestly, the pace wasn’t looking great, but I felt like I could keep going. The balance was OK, but ultimately, I think it’s the right decision.”

As the Scuderia continues its quest to return to the top step of the podium, d’Ambrosio’s steady hand and Hamilton’s eventual alignment underscored a team united in pursuit of glory, even if the radio waves occasionally crackle with dissent.

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