Jolyon Palmer suggests Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari team order frustration in Miami wasn’t the full story. Jolyon Palmer challenges Lewis Hamilton’s criticism of Ferrari’s team orders.

Lewis Hamilton’s Frustration Over Ferrari Team Orders in Miami GP Questioned by Jolyon Palmer

Lewis Hamilton’s race at the Miami Grand Prix was marked by visible frustration, with the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion openly expressing dissatisfaction over how Ferrari handled intra-team strategy decisions. Hamilton crossed the line eighth at the Hard Rock Stadium circuit, voicing repeated discontent over the team radio regarding what he felt was indecision from the Scuderia in managing team orders.

Throughout the race, Hamilton appeared irritated by Ferrari’s sluggish response when it came to issuing instructions on position changes with teammate Charles Leclerc. The Italian team hesitated before asking Leclerc to let Hamilton through, a delay that seemingly cost the British driver valuable time on fresher medium tyres. However, despite his complaints, some observers—most notably former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer—believe Hamilton’s criticisms did not entirely reflect the situation on track.

Hamilton eventually finished 60.186 seconds behind race winner Oscar Piastri, who claimed his fourth victory of the 2025 season for McLaren. Ferrari continued its winless streak for the year, with its only podium so far coming from Leclerc’s third-place finish in Saudi Arabia. In Miami, Leclerc came home in seventh, just 57.036 seconds adrift of Oscar Piastri, and ahead of Hamilton after the team orchestrated a position swap late in the race.

The swap in question occurred on Lap 53 of 57, when Ferrari instructed Hamilton to let Leclerc back through after a stint in which the Monegasque had previously ceded position. Lewis Hamilton, clearly displeased, sarcastically asked his engineer Riccardo Adami, “You want me to let him past, as well?”—a moment that encapsulated the tension brewing within the Ferrari garage. He also criticized the team’s overall coordination, telling Adami, “This is not good teamwork,” and quipping that he could “have a tea break” while waiting for the team to take action.

Despite the vocal frustration, Jolyon Palmer believes Hamilton’s complaints were somewhat exaggerated. Writing in his analysis for F1.com, Palmer stated that Ferrari’s decision-making may not have been as flawed as Hamilton suggested. He acknowledged that perhaps the Scuderia could have acted slightly earlier to let Hamilton pass, which might have preserved the peak performance of his medium tyres. However, Palmer noted that once Hamilton was ahead, he failed to demonstrate significantly better pace than Leclerc had been managing on the harder compound.

Jolyon Palmer explained that while Hamilton was pushing for the position swap, his actual lap times did not reflect a drastic advantage. This, he argued, justified Ferrari’s more cautious approach. The former Renault driver even suggested that, even with an earlier swap, Hamilton was unlikely to catch Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes, who maintained a comfortable margin throughout the final stint.

Indeed, the statistics support Jolyon Palmer’s view. After Ferrari ordered Leclerc to let Lewis Hamilton through, the Briton only reduced the gap to Kimi Antonelli by 2.859 seconds over 15 laps—far from the rapid pace one might expect with a strategic tyre advantage. Charles Leclerc had already narrowed the deficit to Antonelli from 6.645 to 5.163 seconds before switching places, while Hamilton, despite his fresher tyres, only managed to cut it further to 2.304 seconds by the time team orders reversed on Lap 53.

Ultimately, Hamilton was unable to overtake Antonelli, who retained sixth place and finished 1.534 seconds ahead of Leclerc. The minimal time gains in clean air suggested that Ferrari’s hesitance did not drastically alter the outcome and cast doubt on the necessity and effectiveness of the initial team order.

Palmer’s take sheds light on a broader issue at Ferrari, where decision-making under pressure continues to invite scrutiny. However, his analysis also tempers the narrative that Hamilton was severely hindered by his team’s strategy in Miami. As Ferrari continues to find its rhythm with its new driver lineup, managing internal dynamics and expectations will be just as critical as on-track performance.