Ex-F1 Champion Hints Lewis Hamilton May Have Purposely Refused Team Orders at Azerbaijan GP

Jacques Villeneuve made a bold claim that Lewis Hamilton might've intentionally ignored Ferrari's call to swap places with Charles Leclerc in Baku.

Ex-F1 Champion Hints Lewis Hamilton May Have Purposely Refused Team Orders at Azerbaijan GP

Lewis Hamilton, Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc (via Getty)

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Lewis Hamilton suffered from multiple disappointing situations at the Azerbaijan GP. Primarily, Hamilton was eliminated from the Q2 Qualifying session and started the race from P12. Owing to a poor race start, the Briton managed to finish in only P8, that too with a controversial driver swap with Charles Leclerc in the end stages of the race. The seven-time champion did not give back the spot to Leclerc towards the end of the race, causing some sore eyes for him. Now, the 1997 F1 champion, Jacques Villeneuve, weighed in on the contingencies in Baku and how the 40-year-old was in the wrong.

The Azerbaijan GP was one to forget for Ferrari following multiple disappointing situations throughout the race weekend. Lewis Hamilton not letting Charles Leclerc by for the P8 finish towards the end of the race seemed to be the worst one. Hamilton later claimed that he was zoned out in the final corners of the circuit and hence couldn’t give the position back. Regardless, Leclerc was disappointed by the situation and criticized it heavily on the team radio.

Jacques Villeneuve put forth his opinion on the matter and pondered over Lewis Hamilton’s ulterior motives. Villeneuve commented that Hamilton played the race very well, especially after not giving back the P8 finish. The Canadian insisted that Ferrari shouldn’t have swapped the two drivers in the first place. Regardless, the seven-time champion was the faster out of the two, and on fresher tires, would have overtaken Leclerc anyway. As such, the one-time champion believed that this was the reason that the 40-year-old did not let his Monegasque counterpart through in the final lap.

Lewis Hamilton played it well. He played it really well. Ferrari asked Leclerc to let Lewis by, but they didn’t need to. Lewis then, on the new tyre, was so much quicker anyway he would have overtaken him. So, the team orders were unnecessary. So, I guess that’s why Lewis didn’t really want to let him by again!

Jacques Villeneuve told a gambling site

Lewis Hamilton making Ferrari’s problems ‘even bigger’

Ferrari is the most historic team in the history of Formula 1, racing in the sport since its inception in 1950. In addition to this, the passion and love of the Tifosi for the constructor beyond a team make them all the more special. As such, the problems are viewed under a microscope, similar to their successes. With the addition of one of the greatest F1 drivers to their squad in Lewis Hamilton, the problems are seemingly getting only bigger.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Ferrari)
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Ferrari)

Jacques Villeneuve suggested that Ferrari was completely lost right now, as they needed some direction. The Canadian highlighted that Lewis Hamilton was a great image for the Italian constructor. However, Maranello took a big risk signing the seven-time champion, keeping in mind the intense attention he brings with him. As such, if the team does not perform at all now, the problems will only get bigger from this point forward.

Ferrari are completely lost right now and obviously need some direction. Lewis is big there. They took a risk by going together because if the team doesn’t go well with the image that Lewis and the attention that Lewis brings to the team, it makes it even bigger.

Jacques Villeneuve noted

Lewis Hamilton has already shifted his focus away from 2025 and onto the upcoming year in 2026. Ferrari still has to cover massive grounds of improvement if they want to emerge as a winning force in the coming year. For now, Hamilton will hope to finish this year on the best note possible and move on from all the disappointing situations so far.

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