Lewis Hamilton scares F1 rival after Miami Grand Prix following rude gesture

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Australia, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Lewis Hamilton scares F1 rival after Miami Grand Prix following rude gesture

Lewis Hamilton had put his middle finger up to Franco Colapinto in Miami

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Wednesday 6 May 2026 20:30

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You didn't need to hear what Lewis Hamilton thought of Franco Colapinto as he drove past him at the Miami Grand Prix, actions after all speak louder than words.

The seven-time world champion had a collision with the Alpine driver on the first lap, which resulted in damage to his Ferrari ad losing around 20 points of downforce as well as winglet and floor damage.

In other words, Hamilton's chances of even sniffing a podium were all but extinguished and he knew it. As the British star drove past Colapinto on the straight he showed him the middle finger in a sign of frustration before going on to finish sixth following the 20-second penalty handed to his team-mate Charles Leclerc.

But the 41-year-old doesn't seem to be the one that holds grudges.

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Hamilton catches Colapinto cold

Following the Miami Grand Prix while exiting the circuit, Hamilton caught Colapinto cold in a good hearted exchange.

Without warning, Hamilton put both his hands on the shoulders of Colapinto who reacted with shock before realising it was the Ferrari star.

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The two appear to exchange friendly words before the Alpine star returned to his entourage and Hamilton prepared to enter a parked Ferrari looking to drive him away from the circuit.

Even without the incident with his Argentine rival, Hamilton has good reason to feel a little annoyed with the start of the season despite bagging his first podium for Ferrari in China.

Poor Ferrari start

Hamilton is currently fifth in the championship on 51 points but eight points down on Leclerc and 49 points down on current series leader Kimi Antonelli following his third consecutive victory from pole position.

It's slightly better news for Ferrari overall given they are second in the championship but they still trail Mercedes by 70 points, with Miami proving to be the team's worst race so far given on pure pace they were also slower than McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who finished on the podium.