Lewis Hamilton calls for ‘offline’ Ferrari talks after costly Dutch GP strategy call

Hamilton crossed the line fourth at Zandvoort, behind Merc duo Kimi Antonelli and George Russell and race winner Lando Norris. While the result represented another strong points haul for Ferrari, Hamilton was left frustrated by how the race unfolded.

The Ferrari driver spent part of the race behind team-mate Charles Leclerc and believed he had the pace to move ahead. However, he felt Ferrari lost valuable time by allowing him to remain behind the Monegasque driver.

That ultimately left Hamilton with more ground to make up when he attempted to challenge Russell later in the race. Hamilton explained that he had seen an opportunity to attack the Mercedes driver but acknowledged Ferrari's lack of straight-line speed made the task difficult.

Hamilton contrasted Ferrari's approach with that of Mercedes, pointing to the team's ability to execute decisions immediately while fighting at the front of the championship.

Hamilton's comments represent a rare public criticism of Ferrari's race execution during an otherwise encouraging 2026 campaign, while he was more vocal on the team's radio. The team has made significant progress under the new regulations, with Hamilton taking his maiden Ferrari victory in Barcelona earlier this season and remaining a contender near the front of the championship.