F1 | Lewis Hamilton and Riccardo Adami clash over pit stop call during Austrian GP: “I don’t want to pit”. Lewis Hamilton questioned Ferrari's strategy during the Austrian GP.

A quiet race, but not without tension
The Austrian Grand Prix turned out to be relatively uneventful for Ferrari. At the Red Bull Ring, both cars finished third and fourth after spending nearly the entire race in solitude — far from the McLaren cars, far from each other, and well ahead of the chasing pack.

However, for Lewis Hamilton — who crossed the line in fourth, well behind teammate Charles Leclerc by more than nine seconds — there was still room for a bit of radio tension with his race engineer Riccardo Adami. The pair, who have already experienced some miscommunication this season, clashed again during the race.

The British driver wasn’t happy with the strategy dictated by the pit wall, which mirrored Charles Leclerc’s plan exactly, and he made that clear during the second pit stop. On lap 50, with 20 laps remaining, the seven-time world champion was called into the pits by Riccardo Adami for his final stop of the day. the Monegasque had already pitted on the previous lap, meaning both Ferrari drivers were placed on an identical strategy.

Lewis Hamilton’s frustration, followed by a post-race reconciliation
The former Mercedes driver protested over team radio, insisting he wanted to stay out and avoid another stop, aiming to potentially leapfrog Charles Leclerc on track. The exchange with the pit wall lasted several seconds, with Hamilton repeatedly asking to go his own way, while Riccardo Adami — understandably — urged him to stick to the plan. In reality, skipping the final stop would not have offered Ferrari any strategic benefit, as third and fourth place were already secured.

Lewis Hamilton’s intention was clear: he wanted a shot at the podium, overtaking Charles Leclerc, despite the Monegasque driver having shown a significantly stronger pace throughout the race. Below is the exchange that took place between car #44 and Adami during the heated moment. It’s worth noting that Hamilton ultimately followed instructions and later exchanged praise with his race engineer after the race — a sign that the disagreement left no lasting damage and was merely a typical in-race dispute.

Hamilton: “Is my pace really that bad? Because the tyres feel fine.”
Adami: “Box now, to make the race faster. This is the optimal strategy.”
Hamilton: “But the tyres are fine, can I extend [the stint]? How many laps left?”
Adami: “Box, box. 20 laps remaining.”
Hamilton: “I don’t want to stop! 20 laps left.”
Adami: “Box.”

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