MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Thank you, Lewis Hamilton.
Your hilariously snarky outbursts over the Ferrari radio made the fourth annual Miami Grand Prix memorable for audiences around the world, more than we’ll remember who won the race.
No offense, Oscar Piastri — the McLaren driver has won four of the six races with 16 more to go during the 2025 F1 season.
The thing about this Miami race: Lando Norris finished nearly five seconds behind his teammate Piastri in second place — and 37 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell in third place.
This was a McLaren blowout. Any intrigue for a thrilling finish was gone like Piastri when he took the lead from reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen during the 14th lap — with 43 laps to go.
That was until Hamilton jeered back and forth with race engineer Riccardo Adami when he had the pace to pass Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc with about 10 laps remaining.
As Hamilton stewed behind Leclerc without instruction, Hamilton said: “This is not good teamwork — that’s all I can say.”
When Ferrari finally cleared Hamilton to pass after several laps, he snapped: “Have a tea break while you’re at it — C’mon.”
Then, Ferrari informed Hamilton that Williams driver Carlos Sainz was 1.4 seconds behind him — get this — after he was asked to return his place back to Leclerc.
“You want me to let him pass as well?” Hamilton shouted over the radio.
Hamilton was jovial, lighthearted and reflective after the race. He said he was even happy with finishing in eighth place — if you can believe that from the seven-time F1 champion — while Leclerc finished seventh.
“I want to win. I still got that fire in my belly. I could feel a little bit of it, like, really coming out there. And I’m not going to apologize for being a fighter,” Hamilton told USA TODAY Sports.
“I’m not going to apologize for still wanting it, and I know everyone in the team does, too.”
Hamilton said he wasn’t upset at Leclerc or Ferrari. His car simply isn’t performing how he’d prefer overall, but he felt it “really come alive” after getting onto medium tires. He was able to at least see a McLaren car in the distance. He thought he had some chance to contend for at least sixth place.
“It was all PG at least, right?” Hamilton said of his race comments. “I don’t know what you’re gonna write — whether I was disrespectful or whatever …”
Oh, no, Lewis. Quite the contrary.
Thank you.
Insert a gif of Michael Scott from “The Office” with his “thank you” hands directed right at you.
The Miami Grand Prix race would have ended without a climax if Hamilton’s sarcasm and wit didn’t carry the end of the race from an entertainment standpoint.
The gap between Norris and Russell was so vast, Sky Sports analyst and former driver Martin Brundle said: “McLaren could’ve made another pit stop just for the fun of it, and still won by 10 seconds. That’s a measure of dominance.”
It’s also a measure of how difficult it is for Formula One to hold onto the American attention span, beyond the fans who already clamor for the sport.
This is far from a Miami problem. The Miami race has become one of the best on the F1 calendar four years into a 10-year deal. An extension was announced this week for another 10 years of the Miami Grand Prix through 2041. F1’s presence in the United States runs through Miami — just like it does at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and another F1 newcomer in Las Vegas.
F1’s problem, however, is the moments of pure entertainment are few and far in between. They’re easily digested on social media clips instead of a two-hour race, unless the novice fan has elevated to appointment viewer.
Significant intrigue comes at the start of every race around Turn 1 where the pack fights mightily to get out in front. Some drivers might overtake their struggling counterparts after the formation line is set. Others will swap places after they pit once or twice during the race.
Then, there’s the safety cars after collisions. Some drama returns when the race is restarted. But if it comes out near the end of the race, it sucks the drama out even more because drivers in the lead just coast to a victory. Ask Norris, who won the Miami Sprint race Saturday and last year’s Miami Grand Prix in this fashion.
Hamilton won the Sprint race in China, and finished third in the Miami sprint race. But the pressure is mounting after his Grand Prix performances in his first season with Ferrari.
He placed 10th in Australia, was disqualified in China, finished seventh in Japan, fifth in Bahrain, and seventh again in Saudi Arabia before what unfolded in Miami.
Hamilton, Leclerc and Ferrari appeared to all be at odds six races into being on the same side.
The drama that unfolded was sports and reality TV at its finest.
And Hamilton was absolutely hilarious.
“I could have said way worse things on the radio. You hear some of the things other people said in the past,” Hamilton said.
“It was just some of your sarcasm. You got to understand that we’re under a huge amount of pressure within the cars. You’re never going to get the most peaceful messages in the heat of battle. It was fun.”
Added Leclerc: “There’s no bad feelings with Lewis. All I understand is he wants to try and optimize just as much as I want to try and optimize the car potential.”
After six races, Ferrari trails first-place McLaren in the Constructors’ standings by 152 points. They’re also looking up at Mercedes and Red Bull.
Hamilton is in seventh in the Drivers’ standings, behind Piastri (131), Norris (115), Verstappen (99), Russell (93), Leclerc (53) and his 18-year-old Mercedes replacement Kimi Antonelli (48).
Hamilton’s elusive eighth title might still be elusive this season. But he’s striving for a chance to just compete at this point in his transition from Mercedes to Ferrari.
“I truly believe that we fix some of the problems that we have with the car, we’ll be back in the fight … It just can’t come quick [enough],” Hamilton said. “I look forward to the time where maybe I can fight for a podium — and be nice.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lewis Hamilton’s radio exchanges brings drama to Miami F1 race
