Lewis Hamilton has played down his heated radio message to Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami in Monaco, insisting the Italian is “amazing to work with”
Lewis Hamilton has quashed rumours of discord with Riccardo Adami, describing the Ferrari race engineer as “amazing to work with”. During the Monaco Grand Prix last Sunday, there were more tense radio exchanges between Hamilton and Adami after other examples at races earlier this season.
Despite finishing fifth in Monte Carlo, a significant distance behind winner Lando Norris and just behind his Ferrari colleague Charles Leclerc, Hamilton didn’t show any contempt for Adami. But, puzzled by the lack of response after he queried Adami with “Are you upset with me or something?”
Hamilton later explained that it was merely a consequence of radio issues during the race, which left him without crucial updates. The pair quickly cleared the air post-race and the Brit has made it clear that he and Adami are working well together, despite outward indications of misunderstanding between them.
Hamilton said: “It was literally just there were areas where we had radio problems through the race, and I did not get the information that I wanted. We spoke afterwards.
Sign up to our free weekly F1 newsletter, Pit Lane Chronicle, by entering your email address below so that every new edition lands straight in your inbox!
“There is a lot of speculation and most of it is BS. We have a great relationship. He is amazing to work with. He is a great guy. He is working so hard, we both are.”
Previously, Hamilton secured six of his seven world championships alongside Peter Bonnington at Mercedes, but “Bono” wasn’t swayed to join him at Ferrari. Replicating that relationship within months was always going to be impossible for his new race engineer.
READ MORE: Spanish GP rule change leaves Lewis Hamilton clueless as F1 rivals all say same thingREAD MORE: Lando Norris mocks ‘silly’ Max Verstappen prediction as Lewis Hamilton point also made
Their initial partnership saw Hamilton telling Adami to “leave me to it” amidst Australia’s rain, followed by criticisms about tactical hesitations at the Miami Grand Prix last month. But Hamilton has brushed off speculation surrounding his working relationship with the engineer, who has previously worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.
The British driver insisted that their partnership is strong, and said: “We don’t always get it right every weekend. Do we have disagreements? Yes, like everyone does in relationships. But we work through them.
Sky Sports launches discounted Formula 1 package
£43
£35
Sky
Get Sky Sports here
Formula 1 fans can watch every practice, qualifying and race live with Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in a new deal that saves £192.
As well as Sky Sports access, this includes more than 100 TV channels and free subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
“We are both in it together. We both want to win a world championship together and we are both working towards lifting the team up. So it is just all noise and we are not paying attention to it. It doesn’t make a difference to the job we are trying to do.”
Currently 98 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, Hamilton is yet to achieve a podium finish since joining Ferrari from Mercedes, although he did claim a sprint race win in China.