Lewis Hamilton handed Ferrari behaviour verdict after inter-team clash

An ex-Formula 1 star has declared his support for Lewis Hamilton following a tense exchange with his race engineer.

The seven-time world champion wasn't shy in airing his frustrations towards Ricciardo Adami during the Miami Grand Prix earlier this month after a team strategy decision saw him stuck behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

F1 HEADLINES: Driver set to miss session as FIA slammed for Spanish Grand Prix ban

Hamilton was furious with the delay before being given the all-clear to swap positions, and made a series of sarcastic comments over team radio.

The 40-year-old was quick to play down the exchange after the race, but the incident played into the general narrative that the pair's relationship is far from ideal.

But speaking to Fast Slots, former Jaguar racer Johnny Herbert insisted Hamilton had every right to feel aggrieved.

“I think that's just a part of Lewis Hamilton and Riccardo Adami’s relationship," he said. "It is something that we see frustrations coming out of a lot of the drivers in Formula 1.

“We always see these very small fallouts during a race if the strategy hasn't gone the way that sometimes a driver feels it should.

“In Miami, when that call came about swapping places, it probably should have happened earlier. They delayed it and it didn't quite happen.

"Then when they did the swap, it didn't quite work out. The radio communication showed frustration from Lewis but it was Lewis making a point.

"Was he right? Yes. There was nothing wrong with what he said.”

Hamilton's Ferrari struggles continue

It hasn't been the only bizarre moment between the pair this season, with Hamilton's request for feedback after finishing fifth at last weekend's Monaco GP met with somewhat awkward silence.

Despite realising his dream of joining the Scuderia, the ex-Mercedes star's time in red has been more like a nightmare.

He has yet to feature on the podium on any of his eight outings thus far - although did clinch victory at the China GP Sprint - and has been consistently been outperformed by Leclerc in both qualifying and on race days.

His dejected demeanour has prompted some pundits to speculate that he may well decide to leave the team before his contract is up if he cannot find a way to improve results.

He heads into this weekend's Spanish GP sixth in the standings, between Leclerc and the man who replaced him at the Silver Arrows, Kimi Antonelli.

READ MORE: Spanish Grand Prix set for F1 rule change after Monaco

Related

Lewis Hamilton

Carlos Sainz issues DAMNING Lewis Hamilton Ferrari verdict

• Yesterday 21:57

Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari F1 star Lewis Hamilton calls for 'urgent action' in official statement

• Yesterday 18:57