Lewis Hamilton swears on team radio after Ferrari's major decision costs seven-time champion a shot at shock victory
Lewis Hamilton was disappointed with his team's decision to delay the pit-stop following rain during the Australian GP.
Lewis Hamilton endured a dramatic and frustrating debut for Ferrari at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, as a late rain shower and a strategic miscalculation cost him a potential shock victory. The seven-time world champion was left seething after the team chose to keep him out on slick tyres while most of the frontrunners pitted for intermediates, a decision that ultimately saw him tumble down the order.
With rain playing havoc in the closing laps, Ferrari’s gamble to leave Hamilton out backfired when a subsequent safety car left him stranded in slow-moving traffic.
When he finally made his way into the pits for wet tyres, the Briton rejoined in ninth place, visibly frustrated. He swore on the team radio and angrily said, “We missed a big opportunity,” moments after learning of his new position.
Lando Norris capitalised on the chaotic conditions to claim a brilliant victory, having started on pole, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen secured second place. Mercedes’ George Russell completed the podium, while Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc managed eighth after a near collision with the Briton in the closing stages.
The race, filled with unexpected twists and relentless drama, saw Hamilton’s fortunes decline further when McLaren’s Oscar Piastri overtook him on the final lap, leaving him to settle for a disappointing tenth place. Having started eighth, the 39-year-old had hoped for a strong showing in his first competitive outing with the Scuderia, but the closing laps proved to be a nightmare.
Hamilton on the race
Reflecting on his turbulent race, Hamilton admitted the car was difficult to control in the tricky conditions. “It was very tricky,” he said. “It went a lot worse than I thought it would go, the car was really hard to drive today. I’m grateful I kept it out of the wall, that’s where it wanted to go most of the time.”
He also expressed frustration over the team’s weather assessment, which contributed to the costly strategy call. “The information I got was that it was a short shower, and real quick, and it was just the last corner. But then more came.”
