Lewis Hamilton team radio emerges after Spanish Grand Prix FP3 crash
Lewis Hamilton returns to the pits on the back of a motorbike after stopping trackside in FP3 in Madrid
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton was heard repeatedly dismissing his race engineer’s instructions to “stop the car” after his accident in FP3 at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
Hamilton locked up and speared into the barrier while negotiating Turn 22, the final right-hander at the Madring circuit, shortly before the halfway stage of Saturday’s final practice session.
Lewis Hamilton team radio after Spanish Grand Prix FP3 crash
Despite having the front wing of his Ferrari tucked underneath the car, Hamilton still attempted to return to the pits as the red flag was flown.
Hamilton’s front-right tyre soon developed a puncture, with the seven-time world champion heard repeatedly dismissing the requests of race engineer Carlo Santi to stop the car.
In addition to the red flag, the clock was stopped during barrier repairs to prevent drivers losing crucial track track time ahead of qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
The FIA stewards are yet to announce an investigation into Hamilton’s conduct at the time of writing.
Santi initially told Hamilton: “Stop the car, stop the car, stop the car.”
Hamilton replied: “Car’s going.”
As Hamilton rounded La Monumental, Santi said: “Stop in the safest place. In the safest place possible.”
Hamilton replied: “If I can make it back, I will. If I can’t, I’ll do it safely.”
Santi: “We have a puncture on the front-right. Stop the car.”
Hamilton: “I can see that, I can see that.”
Hamilton eventually abandoned his attempts to return to the garage after what Santi described as a “formal request” by FIA race director Rui Marques, with the Ferrari driver pulling to a halt at the side of the track.
Santi: “Stop the car in the safest point you can find. It’s the race director asking.”
Hamilton: “I can make it back safely!”
Santi: “It’s a formal request.”
Hamilton: “I can make it back… OK, stopping the car.”
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Hamilton’s FP3 incident comes after a bad-tempered weekend for the seven-time world champion in Italy last week.
Hamilton was angered by what he perceived as an aggressive move by teammate Charles Leclerc on the opening lap at Monza, which saw Hamilton lose a number of positions after a trip through the gravel.
Hamilton, who eventually finished sixth, dismissed Leclerc’s suggestion that both drivers went too far, arguing that there was “no we” in the debate.
The 41-year-old also publicly questioned Ferrari’s processes compared to Mercedes, where he spent 12 seasons between 2013 and 2024.
Hamilton currently occupies third in the drivers’ standings with 191 points, trailing Mercedes driver and F1 2026 championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 76 points with a maximum of 10 races remaining.
He claimed his first victory for Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June, but has faded from title contention over recent weeks.
His last podium finish came at the British Grand Prix, his home race, on July 5.
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