Lewis Hamilton has explained what went on during an impromptu meeting with his team manager.
The Ferrari driver was pulled aside by Fred Vasseur after some spicy radio messages at the Miami Grand Prix in which he came home in a disappointing eighth behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton had a disappointing Sunday after a promising SaturdayGetty Sky F1Things got sarcastic on team radio[/caption]The pair in red had an odd squabble throughout the race, with Hamilton showing his frustration over not being let past by telling his race engineer to ‘go and have a cup of tea’ while he was making a decision.
The Brit was eventually let through, only for his superior pace to evaporate as he’d used up his tyres chasing the Monegasque.
Leclerc was allowed to pass back, and when Hamilton was told the gap to Carlos Sainz behind, he replied: “Do you want me to let him past too?”
So tetchy was the team radio that after getting out of his car, the 40-year-old was met by team principal Vasseur in the paddock to clear things up before he spoke to the media.
Explaining what happened, Hamilton then told the press: “Fred came to my room. I just put my hand on his shoulder and was like, ‘Dude, calm down. Don’t be so sensitive.’
“I could have said way worse things on the radio. You hear some of the things others have said in the past.
“Some of it was sarcasm. Look, you’ve got to understand we’re under a huge amount of pressure within the car.
“You’re never going to get the most peaceful messages coming through in the heat of the battle. It was fine.
“It wasn’t even anger. It wasn’t like, effing and blinding and anything like that. It’s like, ‘make a decision!’
“You’re sitting there on the chair, you’ve got the stuff in front of you, make the decision, quick. That’s how I was. We’re in a panic, we’re trying to keep the car on the track. We’re computing things fast.
Hamilton was pictured in a meeting with his team boss straight afterAFP“I don’t know what you’re going to write, or whether I was disrespectful or whatever. I honestly don’t feel I was. I was like, ‘come on guys, I want to win’.”
Vasseur himself added: “My concern is not that he has to speak with TV. It’s that we need to be clear between us.
“In this situation, he has to understand what was my feeling on the pit wall. He can trust me, I can trust him and the same with Charles.
“And when I have to take a decision, I’m taking a decision for Ferrari.”
The perceived delayed call to let Hamilton past potentially lost him the chance to move higher up the order, but the seven-time champion wasn’t too regretful post-race.
“I lost quite a bit of the tyres in that (fight), which is OK,” he said. “We were battling for position at the end of the day.”
It was a considered response from the veteran, who is often moody after poor results, but had earlier finished third in the sprint race.
Reflecting on his viral team radio moments he saw it as a positive, explaining: “I’ve still got my fire in my belly. I could feel a bit of it really coming up there.
“I’m not going to apologise for being a fighter. I’m not going to apologise for still wanting it. I know everyone in the team does, too.
“I didn’t think the decision came quick enough. And for sure, in that time you’re like, ‘Come on!’ But that’s really kind of it.
“I have no problems with the team or with Charles. I think we could do better. But the car is not where we really need to be. Ultimately we’re fighting for seventh and eighth.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘Dude, calm down’ – Lewis Hamilton details being pulled aside by Ferrari team boss over radio tirade )
Also on site :