Hamilton addresses engineer tension with Verstappen ‘abuse’ comparison

Lewis Hamilton has denied there is tension between himself and his new race engineer at Ferrari, Riccardo Adami, following their first race together last weekend.

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix marked a difficult maiden event for Hamilton at Ferrari as treacherous conditions on race day posed challenges for all involved.

Hamilton started from eighth on the grid but struggled to make progress throughout the wet event.

Hamilton's in-race radio communications to his race engineer were played on the live broadcast on several occasions.

After the race weekend, former F1 driver Martin Brundle was critical of Hamilton and how he spoke to his engineer during the grand prix.

Hamilton asserted he was attempting to be as polite as possible and is wary the duo are still attempting to establish their relationship.

“Everyone over-egged [the situation],” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365. “It was literally just a back-and-forth. I was very polite in how I suggested it.

“I said ‘leave it to me, please’. I wasn't saying 'F-you', I wasn't swearing.

“It was just at that point I was really struggling with the car and I needed full focus on a couple of things. We're getting to know each other.”

Hamilton uses Verstappen example in F1 radio comparison

Radio messages are often broadcast throughout F1 race weekends, especially those in which drivers are audibly frustrated.

Hamilton pointed to Max Verstappen's radio exchanges with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase as an example of drivers who are more aggressive with their pit wall team.

“He [Adami] had two champions or more in the past and there are no issues between us,” Hamilton said.

“Go and listen to the radio calls with others and their engineers - it’s far worse.

“The conversations that Max has had with his engineer over the years and the abuse that the poor guy has taken, and you never write about it, but you write about the smallest little discussion I have with mine.

“We’re literally just getting to know each other. Afterwards, I'm like, ‘Hey bro, I don't need that bit of information. But if you want to give me this, this is the place I like to do it’.

“'This is how I'm feeling in the car and at these points, this is what this is when I do and don't need the information'.

“That’s what it's about. There are no issues and it's done with a smiley face, and we move forward.”