Riccardo Adami Under Fire After Austrian GP Pit Call That Frustrated Hamilton

Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami might be feeling the heat after the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix—and not just from the blistering Spielberg tarmac. His controversial mid-race pit call, which went against Lewis Hamilton’s instincts, has sparked intense debate among fans and analysts alike. The decision cut short what had been a promising second stint from the seven-time world champion, who insisted over team radio that his tires were still performing optimally.

A Solid but Unspectacular Outing

Ferrari’s performance at the Red Bull Ring was a mixed bag. While they locked out third and fourth behind a dominant McLaren 1-2, the internal drama overshadowed what should have been a cause for cautious optimism. Lando Norris led Oscar Piastri to a comfortable McLaren victory, while Charles Leclerc secured the final podium position, fending off Hamilton, who finished fourth—the same position from which he started.

Hamilton’s start was clean, and apart from an early wheel-to-wheel exchange with former teammate George Russell, he enjoyed a relatively uneventful afternoon. Yet, despite strong tire management and signs of strategic potential, it was a race that left the Briton—and many fans—wondering what might have been.

The Pit Call That Changed Everything

The key moment came on lap 51 of 70. Hamilton, then in the middle of a competitive second stint, was managing his tires expertly. There was a sense among observers and Hamilton himself that going long could open a strategic window. But Adami’s voice came through the radio with a decisive message: “We box now for optimal race.”

Hamilton, calm yet clearly skeptical, responded, “My tires are okay. Can I extend? How many more laps left?” The question wasn’t borne out of confusion but disbelief—Hamilton, with over 300 races under his belt, has built a career on extracting performance through intuition.

Adami doubled down: “Box this lap. There’s 20 laps.” Still reluctant, Hamilton countered, “I don’t want to stop. There’s 20 laps left,” but the team was adamant. “Box, box,” came the final call, leaving Hamilton no choice but to obey.

Communication Breakdown

The exchange was polite but tense, revealing a deeper issue: Ferrari and Hamilton are still learning to operate as a cohesive unit. While Hamilton’s vast experience lends him confidence in his in-race decision-making, Ferrari’s strategy department continues to lean on simulations and numbers. It’s a formula that sometimes works—but not always when instinct is telling a different story.

Critics quickly jumped in. On social media, fans voiced their frustration: “At some point Hamilton is going to start telling them they have no clue what they’re doing,” one user wrote. Others questioned whether Ferrari has the strategic adaptability needed to fully leverage a driver of Hamilton’s caliber.

Hamilton Keeps It Professional

Despite the frustration, Hamilton maintained his professionalism post-race. “Great job guys. What a great weekend and result for us. Really good job. I’m really proud of you. Let’s keep pushing. I didn’t really have the pace today—we need to figure that out. Thanks anyway,” he told his team over the radio.

The result marked Hamilton’s best finish of the season, equaling his earlier fourth-place efforts and snapping a podium drought dating back to the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. He also achieved his highest qualifying position of the year, starting on the second row alongside Piastri.

Ferrari’s Upgrades Show Promise—but Still Lag Behind

Ferrari brought an updated floor to Spielberg in a bid to close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull. While Hamilton downplayed its effectiveness—saying he “didn’t really have the pace today”—data suggests the upgrade did offer some performance improvement. Ferrari outpaced Red Bull and Mercedes in race trim, but they’re still trailing McLaren by a significant margin.

The SF-25’s persistent issues reared their head again, including thermal management challenges that forced both Ferrari drivers to lift and coast heavily, costing them time. Hamilton lost an average of 0.5 seconds per lap during the opening stint due to these restrictions. Leclerc, too, was hampered by conservative cooling measures, dropping up to 0.7 seconds per lap at times.

Another issue was the car’s unpredictable handling. Hamilton struggled with understeer into medium-speed corners, which often transitioned to oversteer on exit—making the car unstable and sapping driver confidence. The intense heat from the Spielberg track only made matters worse, exacerbating Ferrari’s ongoing difficulties with front-end grip and brake cooling.

Strategic Growing Pains

Ferrari’s dependence on lift-and-coast instructions, especially early in the race, revealed a recurring theme: the team is often forced into conservative strategies to manage temperature and component wear. This ultimately caps their race pace potential. Deputy Team Principal Jérôme D’Ambrosio, standing in for Frédéric Vasseur, admitted post-race that the cooling issue remains unresolved: “It’s now becoming a recurring theme. Until that changes, our ability to fight McLaren will remain stunted.”

Adami defended the pit call after the race, stating: “The pace was there. I think there were many things to manage, but we’ll go through everything together and we’ll push.” Yet fans and analysts remain skeptical, pointing to missed opportunities that could have brought Hamilton closer to the podium.

Hamilton’s Perspective

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Hamilton said he struggled with car balance throughout the race. “I just couldn’t hang on to the pace and ended up losing a bit too much ground,” he reflected. “There was a lot of understeer in the low-speed corners and then quite a bit of oversteer in the high-speed sections. It’s a really tough balance to manage over the course of a race.”

Statistically, Hamilton now sits sixth in the Drivers’ Championship with 91 points. Leclerc has extended his lead to 28 points, having found more consistency and comfort with the SF-25, despite still being winless this season.

Looking Ahead: Silverstone Beckons

Next up is Silverstone—Hamilton’s home race and arguably his best chance yet to claim a podium in red. The British Grand Prix represents more than just national pride; it’s a critical moment in Hamilton’s Ferrari journey. A strong result there could signal a turning point.

But for that to happen, Ferrari may need to trust Hamilton’s instincts a bit more. Data is important, but sometimes feel counts just as much—especially when the man in the cockpit is Lewis Hamilton.

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