Riccardo Adami – Lewis Hamilton and the K1 saga: “Don’t repeat things to me”. Australia: Some of the most relevant team radio exchanges between Lewis Hamilton and Riccardo Adami.

Ineffective communication
Among the many aspects Ferrari will need to improve after the disappointing Australian GP, communication between Lewis Hamilton and his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, is certainly one of them. Riccardo Adami previously worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz. Multiple times, the two struggled to communicate information correctly, with the seven-time world champion not appreciating Riccardo Adami’s insistence on repeating messages—though he later explained that “Riccardo did his best.”

Below, we’ve compiled a series of team radio messages between the two that clearly illustrate this lack of understanding. Particularly notable was the “K1 saga,” referring to a button on the Ferrari steering wheel that Riccardo Adami repeatedly asked Hamilton to press, frustrating the 40-year-old from Stevenage.

Some of the most relevant team radio exchanges

Lap 4
Adami: “Stay in Mode Charge. Charge Button on.”
Hamilton: “Yes, no problem. Just don’t repeat everything, please.”
Adami: “Understood.”

Lap 13
Adami: “You can use K1 when you’re close.”
Hamilton: “Leave it to me, please.”
Adami: “K1 is available.”
Hamilton: “Yes, I know. Leave it to me, please.”

Lap 25
Adami: “To avoid DRS being denied, we suggest you change gear and then use DRS.”
Hamilton: “Please, leave it [to me]. Yes [I understand], please leave it [to me].”
Adami: “Understood.”
Hamilton: “I’m in the car, mate. Leave it to me. DRS is not an issue.”

Lap 31
Adami: “Try holding K1, just as a test. I know it’s difficult.”
Hamilton: “I’m not close enough! I’m not close enough! When I am, I will do it.”
Adami: “Understood.”

Lap 40 and onwards
Hamilton: “Will there be more rain?”
Adami: “Arriving in two laps, class 4. Should last only two laps.”

Adami: “For now, we’re staying out. Let us know if you need intermediates.”
Hamilton: “It’s okay, just keep me updated in the last sector.”

Hamilton: “Will there be more rain?”
Adami: “Negative. Just this. Hopefully. We’ll see. It’s still raining in the pit lane.”

Adami: “You’re leading the race.”
Hamilton: “Mate, it’s very slippery. More rain is coming. Sh*t, we should have pitted. More rain is coming. The whole track is wet.”
Adami: “You should pit within a lap. Safety Car.”
Hamilton: “Yeah, it’s too slippery. Staying out on these tires is dangerous. I don’t think it’ll dry soon; everything is wet.”
Adami: “Understood. Box.”

Hamilton: “I thought you said it wouldn’t rain much. We missed a big opportunity.”
Adami: “Understood.”