Lewis Hamilton has acknowledged that his frustrated comments during the Dutch Grand Prix did not reflect how he wants to conduct himself, taking responsibility for his radio and television remarks after a difficult weekend for Ferrari.
Hamilton finished fourth at Zandvoort on Sunday, narrowly missing out on the podium after Mercedes’ George Russell held him off in the closing stages. Lando Norris won the race ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Russell.
Much of Hamilton’s frustration came during his battle with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. Hamilton was on a different tyre strategy and had caught Leclerc, who was losing him time while also trying to protect his own race. Ferrari eventually brought Leclerc into the pits, but Hamilton felt the decision had come too late and that the lost time had hurt his chances of challenging Russell for third.
Hamilton was particularly vocal over Ferrari’s radio during the race, sarcastically telling the pit wall it was a “great waste of time” after being held behind Leclerc. After the race, he also questioned Ferrari’s decision-making and pointed to Mercedes’ more decisive use of team orders as an example of what he felt the team could have done differently.
However, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur later revealed that withholding Hamilton’s strategy from him during the race had been deliberate — the team did not want to disclose it to rival teams on track. Vasseur acknowledged there had been some confusion over the timing of Leclerc’s pit stop but said he was not concerned about the broader situation.
Hamilton has since reflected on his own response. In a statement shared on social media, the seven-time world champion said he had listened back to some of his radio and television remarks and accepted that his frustration had gotten the better of him.
“I’ve listened back to some of my radio and TV comments. In the heat of the moment frustration can come out, especially when you care as deeply as I do. But that wasn’t the best version of me. I take responsibility for that, and I’ll be better.”
Hamilton stressed that his frustration came from his desire to succeed with Ferrari. He praised the work being carried out by the team’s factory and trackside personnel and said he remained convinced that the team was moving in the right direction.
The Briton also highlighted Ferrari’s recent progress, with the team having introduced an upgrade at Zandvoort as it continues to close the gap to Mercedes. Hamilton said there was still work to do, particularly in terms of straight-line performance, but remained focused on improving the team’s competitiveness.
The fourth-place finish leaves Hamilton 59 points behind championship leader Antonelli with 11 rounds remaining.
With Ferrari’s home race at Monza next on the calendar, Hamilton’s latest message signals a change in tone after a weekend where his frustration with the team became one of the major talking points. Rather than backing away from his competitive ambitions, Hamilton made clear he remains committed to Ferrari and believes there is more to come from the partnership.
“We’ll keep building, keep pushing and keep fighting.”