Lewis Hamilton has firmly dismissed the ongoing speculation about a strained relationship with Riccardo Adami, his race engineer at Ferrari, calling such talk “BS” and emphasizing the strong working partnership they share. The rumors about tension between the two resurfaced after a series of terse radio exchanges during the Monaco Grand Prix, where Hamilton even asked Adami if he was upset with him, receiving no reply. However, Hamilton insists that their relationship is healthy and built on mutual respect and shared goals.
Speaking ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton addressed the speculation directly, saying there is a lot of noise around their dynamic that doesn’t reflect reality. He acknowledged that, like any professional relationship, they have occasional disagreements but stressed that these are part of the process, not a sign of conflict. “We don’t always get it right every weekend. Do we have disagreements? Like everyone does in relationships but we work through them. We’re both in it together,” he said. Both Hamilton and Adami are committed to winning a championship and lifting the team’s performance, he added.
The Ferrari team principal also downplayed the rumors, describing the situation as a natural learning curve as Hamilton and Adami adapt to working with each other. Technical issues with radio communication at Monaco further complicated the perception of tension, contributing to misunderstandings.
Hamilton’s fifth-place finish at Monaco, notably behind his teammate Charles Leclerc who finished second, intensified scrutiny on Ferrari’s performance and Hamilton’s integration within the team. During the race, Hamilton appeared frustrated by what he saw as insufficient information from his race engineer regarding track gaps, highlighting the pressure both driver and team face to improve.
This season has been challenging for Hamilton and Ferrari. Expectations were sky-high when the seven-time world champion joined the Scuderia, but the car has fallen short of the performance needed to consistently challenge for victories. Every detail of Hamilton’s tenure at Ferrari, including his relationship with the team personnel, has been examined closely by media and fans alike.
Hamilton, however, remains focused on what matters most working together to improve results. He dismissed the media focus on his relationship with Adami as irrelevant distractions. “It’s just all noise and we don’t really pay any attention to it,” he said. “It can continue if you want but it doesn’t make any difference to the job that we’re trying to do. Our relationship is great. And there are no problems.”
He added that the partnership with Adami is constantly evolving as they learn more about each other and refine their communication and working methods. Adami’s experience with multiple drivers has helped smooth the process, and Hamilton emphasized that no conflicts exist beyond the usual challenges of competitive racing.
Beyond Hamilton’s situation, the Spanish Grand Prix weekend is set to focus heavily on a new technical directive from the FIA aimed at cracking down on flexing front wings. This clampdown is intended to eliminate any advantage gained by teams running wings that flex excessively under load. The new regulation will be enforced starting in Spain, the ninth round of the season, allowing teams time to develop compliant wings.
The rule change is expected to shake up the competitive order, although some teams, including McLaren, have downplayed its impact. Lando Norris, McLaren’s race winner in Monaco, insisted that while there are some tweaks to be made, the clampdown will not fundamentally change the team’s performance or their position at the front of the field.
This confidence is backed by McLaren’s experience with a similar test on flexing rear wings earlier in the season at the Chinese Grand Prix, which did not diminish their pace advantage. As a result, McLaren remain optimistic about maintaining their top spot despite the regulatory changes.
Overall, while Ferrari and Hamilton work on building a stronger partnership and improving the car’s competitiveness, the Formula 1 field is preparing for a technical shakeup that could redefine the battles on track in the coming races.
