Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, Fan Reactions, Ferrari
Ryan Smart
Formula 1 fans have been left stunned after hearing Lewis Hamilton's exchange with his Ferrari race engineer during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton qualified seventh in Monte Carlo and eventually finished fifth, nearly a minute behind the leading trio of Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.
It was therefore a lonely race for the Brit, with a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying ultimately ending any opportunity of a podium.
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Hamilton's race engineer informed him that Verstappen was going slowly into Massenet, but the Dutchman was actually on a push lap towards the end of Q1.
And fans were left exasperated after hearing an exchange between Hamilton and his race engineer Riccardo Adami towards the end of the Grand Prix.
Hamilton asked Adami whether he was still a minute behind the leaders as the closing laps approached.
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But the Italian engineer bypassed the question and instead informed the seven-time world champion about Norris, Leclerc and Piastri's lap times and the tyres they were driving on.
Hamilton replied: "You're not answering the question, but it doesn't really matter. I'm just asking, am I minute behind or...?"
"48 seconds," Adami said.
And shortly after the chequered flag, Hamilton appeared to be met with radio silence when he asked: "Are you guys upset with me or something?"
For many Hamilton fans, the comments have proven to be the last straw.
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One wrote: "What did he do wrong? Maximised what he could after THEY cost him P4 yesterday."
A second stated: "Time to give Bono [Peter Bonnington, his former race engineer] a really good offer."
A third added: "It's their fault he's started seventh."
And a fourth asked: "I'm sorry. It's been eight races and they can't have proper communication?"
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While there have clearly been communication issues between driver and engineer at stages this season, Adami was reportedly personally recommended to Hamilton by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
He also formed a successful partnership with Carlos Sainz while the Spaniard drove for Ferrari.
And speaking after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last week after finishing fourth, Hamilton told Sky Sports that he was 'slowly getting there' with the team, their communication and race strategy.
He explained: "The team did a fantastic job with the strategy, they were faultless. We're slowly getting there.
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"Riccardo did a fantastic job with his communication with me. I was calm, so he was calm and the team were calm in executing the strategy, and the pit stops were awesome. So overall, mega."