Martin Brundle Slams Lewis Hamilton Over Radio Outburst and Lackluster Ferrari Debut

The Formula 1 season kicked off with high expectations for Lewis Hamilton as he donned Ferrari red for the first time at the Australian Grand Prix. However, the seven-time world champion’s debut was anything but triumphant, drawing sharp criticism from Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle for both his on-track performance and his tense radio exchanges with his new race engineer.

Hamilton, who joined Ferrari after a storied tenure with Mercedes, qualified a disappointing eighth, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc by two-tenths of a second. His race day woes continued as he struggled with pace and strategy, ultimately finishing 10th after a late overtake by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The result left Ferrari languishing seventh in the constructors’ standings, a far cry from the pre-season hype surrounding Hamilton’s blockbuster move.

In his post-race column for Sky Sports, Brundle didn’t hold back, labeling Hamilton’s debut “disappointing by any metric.” He pointed to the 40-year-old’s inability to capitalize on opportunities, noting, “Eighth on the grid behind his teammate Leclerc, losing out a little in the first corner and following Alex Albon’s Williams for what seemed like an age, and then being passed around the outside of the fast turn nine by a spectacularly recovering Piastri on the final lap—consigning Lewis to one point in 10th place—was not where he should be.”

The criticism didn’t stop at Hamilton’s driving. Brundle took aim at the Briton’s “angsty” demeanor over the team radio, particularly in his interactions with new race engineer Riccardo Adami. Throughout the rain-affected race, Hamilton was heard issuing curt responses, including repeatedly telling Adami to “leave it to me” when offered advice. A notable exchange came late in the race when Ferrari’s gamble to stay on slick tires backfired as rain intensified. Hamilton snapped, “I thought you said it wasn’t going to rain much?”—a moment that underscored the tension between driver and pit wall.

“I don’t understand why Lewis was so angsty with his engineer Riccardo Adami, who I felt was simply trying to pass over relevant and helpful information,” Brundle wrote. He suggested that Hamilton’s frustration hinted at deeper struggles adapting to his new team, a stark contrast to the seamless partnership he enjoyed with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes.

Ferrari’s strategy blunder—leaving both Hamilton and Leclerc out on dry tires as rivals switched to intermediates—compounded the team’s woes. “It all really fell apart for Ferrari when they rolled the dice on dry tires on a wet track and lost out heavily on track position for both drivers,” Brundle added, highlighting the collective disappointment of Hamilton’s maiden outing with the Scuderia.

The underwhelming debut has sparked debate about Hamilton’s form as he enters his 19th season in F1. After being outpaced by Mercedes teammate George Russell in 2024, questions linger about whether the veteran still possesses the edge to challenge for an eighth title. Brundle’s scathing assessment has only fueled speculation, with some fans and analysts wondering if Hamilton’s move to Ferrari might not yield the resurgence he’d hoped for.

Hamilton, for his part, remained diplomatic post-race, acknowledging the steep learning curve. “It’s a big adjustment, and we’re still figuring things out,” he told reporters. “We’ll take the positives and build from here.” But with the Chinese Grand Prix looming, the pressure is on for Hamilton and Ferrari to silence the doubters—and Brundle’s critique—when the lights go out in Shanghai.