Lewis Hamilton has allayed any fears of a brewing rift within Ferrari after making a significant team orders error at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Hamilton finished in eighth at Baku, just one place ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc, but radio communications broadcast post-race revealed the order should have been switched.
The pair had started the race on different compounds, with Leclerc opting for Mediums whilst Hamilton began on Hards.
In the latter stages of the race, Leclerc allowed Hamilton through in a bid to overtake McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was at the back of a train led by Liam Lawson, with Yuki Tsunoda in the middle.
However, Hamilton was unable to make an ident in the train, and the Scuderia’s pit wall instructed the Brit to hand the place back.
But the pair crossed the line in the same order, with Hamilton citing concentration of trying to pass Norris as the reason for inadvertently ignoring the call.
Hamilton apologised immediately after the race, with Leclerc saying it was “stupid” over radio, but also appeared nonplussed, a mood he continued after the race, saying that the difference between eighth and ninth was not worth being disappointed over.
Ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton said that there has been a discussion with Leclerc to ensure the misdemeanour won’t be repeated.
“I spoke to Charles. Everything’s fine,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week.
“Charles’ been great, and, yeah, we worked on communication to make sure that doesn’t happen again. It won’t happen again.”
Hamilton is competing in his first Grand Prix since the death of his pet bulldog Roscoe, which prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the paddock.
READ MORE – Lewis Hamilton: ‘there’s lots of positives to take’ from Friday at F1 Singapore GP
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