Ferrari's Miami mistake baffles F1 expert Peter Windsor: 'Absolutely astonishing'

Ferrari Criticised for Strategy Chaos and Communication Breakdown Between Hamilton and Leclerc in Miami

Ferrari found themselves at the centre of yet another strategic controversy during the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, with confusion over team orders between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc sparking criticism from fans and experts alike.

During the closing laps of the race, Lewis Hamilton was running in eighth place directly behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion had started on a different tyre strategy after a disappointing qualifying session that saw him exit in Q2. As the race progressed, Lewis Hamilton found himself on fresher medium tyres and believed he had the pace to chase down Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was holding sixth.

Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, had started further up the grid and followed the standard strategy—beginning the race on medium tyres and switching to hards for the final stint. With Lewis Hamilton on the faster compound and seemingly quicker at that stage of the race, he expected Ferrari to quickly instruct Charles Leclerc to let him through.

However, what followed was a drawn-out and awkward exchange over the radio. The British driver, clearly frustrated by the lack of immediate action from the pit wall, sarcastically suggested that his engineers should “take a tea break.” Although Ferrari eventually gave the order to swap the positions, the delay proved costly. By the time the change occurred, Hamilton’s tyres had overheated and Antonelli had built enough of a cushion to stay out of reach.

Charles Leclerc was later told that the positions would be reversed again, but when the time came, Lewis Hamilton did not comply with the request—adding another layer of confusion to an already messy situation.

Veteran Formula 1 analyst Peter Windsor, speaking on the Cameron CC podcast, was baffled by the lack of pre-race planning. He argued that scenarios like this should be thoroughly discussed during the team’s pre-race briefings. According to the former Ferrari UK general manager, the Italian side should have agreed in advance on what to do if Lewis Hamilton—on fresher, faster tyres—was catching Charles Leclerc late in the race. He emphasised that there should have been a clear, no-nonsense protocol: if Hamilton had a significant pace advantage, he would be allowed through with the understanding that if he failed to pull away or make progress, the position would be handed back.

Peter Windsor said he was astonished that a team with Ferrari’s experience hadn’t mapped out that possibility in advance. With over five decades in Formula 1, he claimed he couldn’t recall another top-tier team that would’ve overlooked such an important discussion before a Grand Prix.

The lack of clarity and hesitation from Ferrari left many fans questioning the team’s communication strategy. Social media was flooded with criticism, with many feeling that the team had embarrassed themselves by mishandling such a fundamental aspect of race operations.

In the aftermath of the race, Lewis Hamilton was reportedly unhappy with how the situation unfolded. Team principal Fred Vasseur sat down with him to talk things through and later attempted to play down the delay in decision-making. The French manager insisted that the team had been weighing their options and claimed the wait wasn’t as long as some critics had suggested.

However, the incident has only deepened concerns about Ferrari’s ability to manage in-race strategy, particularly with two strong personalities in the car and a season already slipping away. As the European leg of the championship begins, Ferrari must quickly iron out their internal processes or risk further damaging their reputation and their results.