Lewis Hamilton starred in one of the tensest moments at the Dutch GP in Formula 1, and the reaction caught David Coulthard’s attention. The former driver said he had never heard the seven-time champion show so much irritation with his own team.
Read more F3: Pedro Clerot completes Rodin Motorsport program in collective tests in Madrid
Ferrari kept Hamilton and Charles Leclerc close on track, despite the two using different tire strategies. With more pace at that moment, the Briton was stuck behind his teammate and began asking over the radio for the team to intervene.
This situation lasted for several laps, causing Hamilton to lose important time. The separation between the two cars happened during the pit stop cycle, but the wasted time ended up hurting the driver’s chances of competing with George Russell for P3 on the podium.
Coulthard commented on the episode on the Up to Speed podcast and highlighted Hamilton’s unusual behavior: “I think he has valid points. I’ve never heard Lewis Hamilton so irritated on the radio. I’ve never heard him raise his voice. He never swears. Never,” said the former driver.
Read more Domenicali celebrates Verstappen’s stay at Red Bull: «I can’t imagine F1 without him»
The seconds lost behind Leclerc gained more weight in the final laps, when Hamilton had an opportunity to attack Russell. However, the VSC interrupted the battle and allowed the Mercedes driver to maintain third position.
Russell also had to follow an order from Mercedes during the race and allowed his teammate to pass. In Hamilton’s case, however, Ferrari’s delay in separating him from Leclerc ended up being especially frustrating, to the point of provoking a reaction that Coulthard described as unprecedented in his experience following the seven-time champion.
Read more F1 today: Rafa Câmara tests Haas and Alonso paves the way for the future
