Hamilton dismisses rumours of tension with Ferrari engineer, “We’re in this together” – As the Formula 1 paddock continues to speculate about Lewis Hamilton’s underwhelming start at Ferrari, the seven-time world champion has stepped in to silence growing rumours of internal friction. Specifically, there have been reports of a strained dynamic with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, fuelled by a series of awkward radio exchanges and underwhelming results. However, Hamilton, under scrutiny in a season that has diverged from the fairy tale many anticipated, has put an end to the speculation.
In an interview with Formula1.com, Hamilton dismissed the idea of a fractured working relationship, insisting that there is no bad blood between him and Adami. ‘Our relationship is great,’ he said. “There are no problems. We are learning more and more about each other and constantly adapting to the way we both want to work.”
This isn’t the first time Hamilton has had to address allegations of friction between him and his team. In Barcelona, he finished seventh, while his teammate Charles Leclerc came fifth. It was the latest chapter in a Ferrari stint that has offered little in the way of podium glory and plenty in the way of public dissection. Although race pace remains elusive in the SF-25, Hamilton insists that, behind the scenes, the driver–engineer partnership is functional and evolving — despite what the headlines might suggest.
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Miami moment ignites the gossip
The controversy first sparked in May during the Miami Grand Prix. Running behind Leclerc and clearly frustrated, Hamilton responded sharply when asked about potential strategy options.
“Why don’t you take a tea break while you’re at it?’ he quipped on the team radio — a barb that quickly lit up social media and prompted murmurs of discontent.”
This was followed by a wave of articles speculating that Hamilton was becoming disillusioned with both the car and his new support crew. It didn’t help that, despite its own struggles, Mercedes appeared to be getting more out of George Russell than Ferrari were out of their big-name recruit.
Monaco radio silence deepens doubts
Just weeks later in Monaco, another exchange drew attention. On the final lap, Adami relayed a message to Hamilton, who acknowledged it with a generic thank you to the team. But what came next was more revealing — or at least open to interpretation: “Are you mad at me or what?” Hamilton asked, receiving no immediate reply.
To many observers, this was another sign of an awkward dynamic, if not outright tension.
Yet Hamilton insists that the issue has been blown out of proportion.
“We don’t always get everything right every weekend,” he admitted. “We do have differences of opinion. But that’s part of the process. We’re both in the same boat; we both want to win a championship, and we’re both working to get the team to the top.”
Adami’s wealth of experience is not a cause for concern.
Riccardo Adami is a seasoned Ferrari engineer who has worked with Sebastian Vettel since 2015 and is no stranger to high-profile partnerships. Hamilton was quick to point this out, noting that Adami’s experience is an asset, not a source of conflict.
“He’s worked with many different drivers,” Hamilton said.
“And I think we’re finding a rhythm. It’s just going to take time. I’m new here, and we’re all still learning.”
The message is clear: differences of opinion do not equate to dysfunction. In fact, Hamilton argues that open dialogue is vital, even when it occasionally leads to tension on the airwaves. After all, he has a long history of passionate — sometimes heated — radio exchanges from his time at Mercedes, too.
Performance, not personality, is the real problem.
Hamilton knows that the real issue lies not in team harmony, but in performance. His move from Mercedes to Ferrari was the decade’s most significant transfer, a historic gamble driven by the pursuit of an eighth world title. But, with the 2025 season now more than halfway over, that dream is looking increasingly unlikely.
Hamilton is currently sixth in the championship standings, behind Leclerc and even further behind his former teammate, George Russell. The leaders — McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, along with reigning champion Max Verstappen — are well out of reach.
Despite its tradition and firepower, Ferrari has yet to provide Hamilton with a car capable of consistently challenging for wins, let alone championships. As the SF-25 continues to underdeliver on its early promise, critics are beginning to question whether the move was a miscalculation.
A public stance, but private doubts?
While Hamilton has every reason to support the team publicly, some F1 insiders aren’t so quick to dismiss the idea of internal unrest. A few former drivers and commentators have pointed out that the British star has never enjoyed being off the pace, and that, though he is polished, his responses betray signs of mounting frustration.
“It’s not uncommon for drivers to get testy on the radio,” one former engineer told The Race.
“But when a driver like Lewis makes pointed comments two or three times, it’s often because there’s something deeper going on — even if no one will admit it out loud.”
Hamilton has been in the sport long enough to know how narratives are formed — and how to shut them down. By confronting the rumours head-on, he’s taking back control of the narrative. Whether that changes the facts on the timing sheets, however, is another matter entirely.
Championship hopes are fading — but not the motivation.
Despite the setbacks, Hamilton remains optimistic. He insists that he is in Maranello for the long haul and that he hasn’t lost sight of why he joined Ferrari in the first place.
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” he said. ‘This team is full of passion, and I believe in what we’re building. It’s about more than just one season. It’s a journey.”
For now, the spotlight will remain firmly fixed on Ferrari’s struggling number 44 driver. Every radio message, every strategy call and every overtaking attempt will be analysed for signs of friction, particularly as the gap between the front runners and the red cars continues to widen.
However, when it comes to the relationship between driver and engineer, Hamilton wants to make one thing perfectly clear: there may be differences, but there is no division. Not yet, at least. And certainly not in public.
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The Formula One schedule for 2026 has now been released with the latest street circuit replacing yet another F1 classic venue on the calendar. Madrid comes in and Imola is out, despite the race organisers for the new race in the Spanish capital having so far failing to receive the commercial sponsorship they expected.
Once a stalwart of the F1 calendar from the early eighties until 2006, Imola has in recent times been used as a temporary back stop to make up the total number of races to the maximum 24 agreed between the teams and the FIA. It returned to the schedule during Covid in 2020, when a number of regular F1 host countries had locked their doors to outsiders.
Renamed, the Emilia-Romagne Grand Prix, the classic race once known as the San Marino Grand Prix was initially intended as a one off race for 2020 although it was retained further for a number of reasons. With China remaining closed to the world in 2021, the race was given a reprieve which was also the case in 2022 when F1 decided to award the…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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