Hamilton listens back
Lewis Hamilton spent Sunday afternoon telling Ferrari, live on television, exactly what he thought of their strategy. Then he went home and listened to himself.
The Dutch Grand Prix left him fourth, off the podium, and loudly unhappy about the middle of his race. He had asked to be moved ahead of Charles Leclerc so he could attack George Russell. Ferrari hesitated. Hamilton delivered his verdict over the radio in real time. “A great way of wasting time guys, good job,” he said. After the flag he pushed harder, telling the team it had not been unlucky and that the indecision “cost us P3.”
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The comparison that stung
What clearly needled him was watching the other garage do the opposite. Mercedes waved Kimi Antonelli through without debate and got on with the afternoon.
“It is difficult when you are looking ahead and you see the two Mercedes drivers, they get the call and it’s done, and they execute straight away,” Hamilton told the Formula 1 website. “They let Kimi by and let him get on with the race. I was on a different strategy and it’s not the same here.”
He also spelled out his baseline. “I want to win. I’m here to win.”
The apology, and the standings
His Instagram post ran a good deal longer than the radio clips. Hamilton thanked the factory staff for the updates that keep arriving, thanked the trackside crew, and conceded Ferrari still has work to do over a single lap.
Then came the passage that travelled. “I’ve listened back to some of my radio and TV comments. In the heat of the moment frustration can come out, especially when you care as deeply as I do. But that wasn’t the best version of me. I take responsibility for that, and I’ll be better.”
He signed off with two words. “We’re coming.” Fourth place at Zandvoort dropped him to third in the drivers’ standings.
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