Lewis Hamilton sent Ferrari 'reminder' after team radio frustration

Former F1 driver Jean Alesi has stated Lewis Hamilton's frustrated team radio messages during the Dutch Grand Prix were “out of place”.

Midway through the race, Hamilton found himself running behind team-mate Charles Leclerc but notably had the upper hand.

In the hunt for the podium, Hamilton urged Ferrari to get Leclerc to let him through, so as not to compromise his race.

Several laps later, Leclerc was pulled into the pit lane for a pit stop, leaving Hamilton to vent over team radio: “Great way of wasting time, guys. Good job.”

Alesi, who drove several F1 seasons for Ferrari in the early 1990s, questioned Hamilton's approach.

“I found Hamilton’s complaints over the radio and in the post-race interviews to be out of place,” he told Corriere della Sera. 

“Granted, Charles didn’t give way straight away, but I don’t think that was the reason he missed out on the podium. 

“It’s just that Lewis has a big personality; he’s an asset, but he commands a certain amount of respect. I’d remind us all – and him too – that Ferrari is Ferrari. It deserves respect. 

“Even when it doesn’t immediately comply with his requests.”

Neither Ferrari driver ended the race on the podium, with Lando Norris winning ahead of the two Mercedes challengers.

Having now won back-to-back grands prix, Norris has emerged as a serious threat for the championship, according to Alesi.

“Norris has literally burst onto the scene as a driver, with a McLaren that’s set to be a major force from here until the end of the season,” he said. 

“He returned to the track aiming to win and… he was flying. 

“A performance that surprised us and, I reckon, even him, given how much he’d struggled in the Sprint, having been overtaken by Leclerc. ”