Lewis Hamilton was much less accepting of Ferrari’s determination to not danger pitting throughout a Digital Security Automotive interval than his staff mate Charles Leclerc.
After he took the chequered flag, Hamilton’s new race engineer Carlos Santi admitted the choice to not pit value them a lot of the time to race-winner George Russell.
However Hamilton had loads to be optimistic about after his first race in Ferrari’s newest automotive with a brand new voice in his ear. His tempo on the finish of the race was notably robust.
Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 Australian Grand Prix radio transcript
“No deployment”“At the least considered one of us ought to have are available in”“How did you not name the pit, man?”“I’m not pitting this lap”“Have I misplaced positions to folks?”“You might be once more the quickest automotive on observe”“Go away me to it mate”“Mainly, it’s the pit cease”
“No deployment”
In frequent with many different drivers, Hamilton discovered himself wanting battery energy initially of the race. He additionally suspected he’d picked up contact in collision with Liam Lawson, whom he’d mistaken for the opposite Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindblad.
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Lap: 1/58 HAM: 1’35.261
Hamilton
I acquired hit, I don’t know which automotive it was. Lawson hit my left entrance.
Santi
Wanting into it
Lap: 2/58 HAM: 1’24.874
Santi
Tyre strain is ok, to this point so good.
Lap: 3/58 HAM: 1’25.066
Hamilton
I really feel good, it’s simply go [cuts out]
Santi
Coming again to you. No motion on [unclear].
Lap: 4/58 HAM: 1’24.502
Hamilton
Deployment’s fairly [unclear].
Santi
We’re wanting into it
Hamilton
They’re pulling away, simply on energy.
Lap: 5/58 HAM: 1’24.703
Hamilton
Yeah, no deployment.
Hamilton
I’m utilizing decrease gears, so…
Santi
So deployment is on course, work on tyre administration, notably [turn] 12.
Lap: 6/58 HAM: 1’24.365
Hamilton
I feel I can take flip 5 flat.
Santi
5 flat is nice for us.
Hamilton
Okay.
Lap: 7/58 HAM: 1’24.365
Hamilton
Gas says… do I ignore gas or not?
Santi
It’s superb for us like this
Hamilton
Okay. How far off pace-wise, am I down?
Santi
So tempo is a match. Antonelli behind 4 seconds.
Santi
And focus, exit flip two, one tenth. Antonelli quicker behind, three tenths quicker.
Lap: 10/58 HAM: 1’24.255
Hamilton
Let me know which corners I’m shedding in mate.
Santi
So exit of two, you’re shedding, and entry 13, too aggressive. Entry 13, take it straightforward.
Santi
Mid 5 and exit flip two, earlier on throttle, earlier on the throttle exit flip two.
Lap: 11/58 HAM: 1’24.073
Santi
And tyre section replace when you’ll be able to.
“At the least considered one of us ought to have are available in”
When the primary Digital Security Automotive interval started, Leclerc was main Russell, Hamilton and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Whereas Mercedes instantly pounced on the chance to deliver each drivers in, Ferrari left each out, a name Hamilton disagreed with.
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Lap: 12/58 HAM: 1’54.958
Santi
Entry pace 9, entry pace 9… Digital Security Automotive, Digital Security Automotive deployed, keep optimistic. And mode Security Automotive please.
Hamilton
Stability is okay. Really feel like I’m locking rears very often flip three.
Santi
Understood
Santi
Change place yellow, swap place yellow. And please maximise the cooling. And a proper toggle suggestion for flip three locking. Double yellow, double yellow.
Hamilton
Approaching flip 13 and pit lane entranceDo what the plan is?
Santi
We keep out. We keep out.
Hamilton
At the least considered one of us ought to have are available in. Mercedes are in. What lap are we on?
Lap: 13/58 HAM: 1’56.315
Santi
We’re presently in lap 12, lap 12 accomplished, we’re into lap 13.
Hamilton
Fronts are getting chilly.
Santi
We predict temperature is alright, hold it like that.
Santi
Approaching flip 13 againAnd we keep out.
Lap: 14/58 HAM: 1’28.327
Santi
Digital Security Automotive ending, mode race and enhance out there. Inexperienced, inexperienced, inexperienced.
Santi
And Russell 10 seconds behind
Lap: 15/58 HAM: 1’23.703
Hamilton
How are they solely 10 seconds?
Santi
To date we’re on plan, we’re specializing in plan A, plan A.
Lap: 16/58 HAM: 1’23.412
Santi
Flip two was good, hold it like this. And tyre section replace when you’ll be able to.
Lap: 17/58 HAM: 1’24.045
Hamilton
Tyres are okay, small graining, abrasion left entrance.
“How did you not name the pit, man?”
The second VSC interval didn’t fall effectively for Ferrari. Hamilton was instructed the VSC had been triggered across the time he was passing the pit lane entrance, and by the point he got here round once more the doorway was closed.
Nevertheless the chance to anticipate the VSC name existed. Ferrari may have seen that Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac was stopped by the pit lane entrance and would have wanted some form of intervention to retrieve it. Whether or not they would have saved as a lot time as those that have been capable of pit within the hole between the VSC being deployed and the pit entrance being closed – reminiscent of Max Verstappen – would have been within the lap of the gods.
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Lap: 18/58 HAM: 1’31.597
Santi
And don’t path the brakes into 13, suggestion.
Santi
Yellow flip 14, yellow flip 14.
Santi
Flip 14Virtual Security Automotive, Digital Security Automotive.
Hamilton
Ah, man, how did you not name the pit, man?
Lap: 19/58 HAM: 1’53.100
Santi
Change place pink, swap place pink. And mode Security Automotive.
Hamilton
How a lot have we misplaced? I feel we’ll pit now. Stability has been good. I’d put…
Santi
Copy.
Hamilton
…one or two clicks extra in
Santi
And pit lane is closed, we keep out. And we want mode formation to handle temperatures.
Hamilton
[Unclear]
Santi
Are you able to repeat please?
Hamilton
What’s the hole behind?
Lap: 20/58 HAM: 1’31.637
Santi
Hole behind is eight seconds
Hamilton
One in all us goes to get screwed right here if we’re double-stacking.
Santi
Coming again to you. And Digital Security Automotive ending, mode race and enhance out there, enhance button out there.
Santi
Inexperienced, inexperienced, inexperienced. Stroll forward, strong blue.
Hamilton
My tyres are nonetheless okay, don’t field me on the identical time.
Lap: 21/58 HAM: 1’23.617
Hamilton
Entrance-left graining.
Santi
Understood.
Lap: 22/58 HAM: 1’23.509
Santi
One-tenth entry pace flip 9, entry pace flip 9.
Santi
And control locking entry flip 13. Locking entry flip 13.
Lap: 23/58 HAM: 1’23.382
Santi
Perez, strong blue. Strong blue for Perez.
Lap: 24/58 HAM: 1’24.329
Santi
Flip 13 higher now, flip 13 higher
“I’m not pitting this lap”
After Leclerc pitted underneath inexperienced flag working, Hamilton tried to delay his pit cease for so long as doable, both within the hope one other VSC interval would happen or no less than to create a higher distinction in tyre life to make use of later within the race. They finally introduced him in three laps after Leclerc.
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Lap: 25/58 HAM: 1’23.660
Santi
And steadiness replace please
Hamilton
Entrance left’s fairly badly grained, little bit of understeer.
Santi
Use your tyres.
Lap: 26/58 HAM: 1’24.085
Hamilton
Create an offset, don’t [unclear].
Santi
Let’s push, let’s push
Santi
Use your tyres, use your tyres.
Hamilton
I’m not pitting this lap.
Santi
No.
Lap: 27/58 HAM: 1’23.760
Santi
Max tempo, max tempo. Don’t lose time with Russell however…
Hamilton
I’m attempting to.
Santi
Yeah. Don’t lose time with Russell.
Lap: 28/58 HAM: 1’39.578
Santi
You might be doing a superb job, hold it like this, so long as you’ll be able to.Russell passes him on the within into flip 9
Santi
Field, field, field.
Hamilton
I can hold going
Santi
Field Lewis, field.Hamilton pits
Lap: 29/58 HAM: 1’29.135
Santi
Mode K2 and first gear. Mode K2 and first gear.
Santi
Watch the white line and regular out-lap, regular out-lap. Goal lap time, 23.0, 23.0.
Hamilton
What number of laps offset am I?
Santi
Three laps.
“Have I misplaced positions to folks?”
After one other, very transient VSC interval, Hamilton started to realize time on these forward of him.
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Lap: 30/58 HAM: 1’23.474
Santi
And we want larger raise in [turn] 5.
Santi
And focus entry pace flip 9, entry pace flip 9.
Lap: 31/58 HAM: 1’23.129
Santi
Elevate in 5 is…
Hamilton
The place can I enhance?
Santi
…good. Elevate in 5 is nice. Entry flip 9.
Lap: 32/58 HAM: 1’23.185
Santi
And tempo replace, we want 22.8, 22.8.
Lap: 33/58 HAM: 1’23.775
Hamilton
The place am I shedding on a regular basis? [Unclear]
Santi
Flip 5 when you can afford a flat, is best.
Hamilton
There was a yellow flag, mid-part of flip eight.
Santi
That was observe slippery flag.
Lap: 34/58 HAM: 1’38.315
Santi
Digital Security Automotive, Digital Security Automotive.
Hamilton
This tyre feels fairly poor.
Santi
Mode formation, understood.
Santi
Double yellow in entrance of you till nook 9.
Hamilton
What’s it?
Santi
It’s particles, particles, We reckon Digital Security Automotive will likely be brief. Monitor is now clear, Digital Security Automotive ending, mode race, mode race. Exit of two to focus, exit two. Inexperienced, inexperienced, inexperienced.
Lap: 35/58 HAM: 1’23.317
Hamilton
What place am I? Have I misplaced positions to folks?
Santi
Unfavorable, detrimental. Charles P3, seven seconds forward.
Santi
Strong blues.
Lap: 36/58 HAM: 1’23.338
Hamilton
What [unclear] automobiles forward doing?
Santi
You’ve gotten all lapped automobiles in entrance of you, you’re P…
Hamilton
No, [unclear]. Give me their lap instances.
Santi
So Charles in entrance of you, lap time is identical on the minute, identical tempo as Charles. Antonelli is in P2 and is lapping 23.0.
Lap: 37/58 HAM: 1’23.086
Santi
Charles six, you gained one second.
Lap: 38/58 HAM: 1’22.688
Santi
Good lap.
Santi
And focus entry 9. This was a superb lap.
Lap: 39/58 HAM: 1’22.536
Hamilton
Don’t discuss to me into the corners mate, please.
Santi
Identical tempo as Charles, and tenths quicker than Mercedes.
“You might be once more the quickest automotive on observe”
The ultimate a part of Hamilton’s race was very robust. Although it’s extremely probably Russell was moderating his tempo on the entrance of the sector, Hamilton gained quickly on Leclerc with solely barely brisker tyres.
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Lap: 40/58 HAM: 1’22.550
Santi
You’re the quickest automotive on observe, good job out of [turn] two.
Santi
Take into consideration diff entry six, diff entry six.
Lap: 41/58 HAM: 1’22.648
Santi
And you’re once more the quickest automotive on observe by three tenths.
Lap: 42/58 HAM: 1’22.636
Santi
Charles is 5.5 forward of you.
Santi
And you’re 4 tenths quicker than anybody else, enhance exit flip two.
Santi
S1 suggestion for entry [turn] three for stability. S1.
Lap: 43/58 HAM: 1’22.559
Santi
Flip two was good, you’re quickest automotive on observe by two tenths.
Santi
Lap time goal 22.5. 22.5.
Lap: 44/58 HAM: 1’22.837
Santi
Entry was good. Entry was good.
Santi
Entry flip 9, one tenth.
Lap: 45/58 HAM: 1’22.529
Hamilton
What number of laps left?
Santi
14 laps to go, quickest automotive on observe, you’re doing a superb job, hold it like this
Lap: 46/58 HAM: 1’22.945
Hamilton
Left-front’s beginning to open up a bit.
Santi
Understood.
Santi
Russell had entrance graining as effectively, however then it cleared.
Lap: 48/58 HAM: 1’22.764
Santi
Was a superb lap.
Lap: 49/58 HAM: 1’22.835
Hamilton
Are different folks having graining?
Santi
In the intervening time you’re the quickest automotive on observe, by two tenths.
Lap: 50/58 HAM: 1’23.310
Hamilton
Obtained understeer.
Santi
Understood. Good job in three-four, good job in three-four.
Santi
And entry pace 9, one tenth, entry pace 9. Hold pushing, you by no means know.
“Go away me to it mate”
Hamilton nearly drew inside vary of Leclerc, crossing the road lower than a second behind his staff mate.
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Lap: 51/58 HAM: 1’22.683
Hamilton
Tempo of automotive forward?
Santi
Charles, 23.3. And Merc 23.
Santi
Seven laps to go, hold pushing, doing effectively.
Lap: 52/58 HAM: 1’23.008
Hamilton
Yeah, depart me to it mate, thanks.
Santi
Entry 9, one tenth.
Lap: 53/58 HAM: 1’23.165
Hamilton
[Unclear]
Santi
Copy.
Lap: 54/58 HAM: 1’22.554
Hamilton
What number of laps?
Santi
4 to go. 4 laps to go. Hold pushing, hold pushing.
Lap: 56/58 HAM: 1’22.500
Santi
You might be 4 tenths quicker than anybody else, hold pushing.
Lap: 57/58 HAM: 1’22.716
Santi
Half a second quicker than Charles in entrance of you, half a second.
“Mainly, it’s the pit cease”
Though he narrowly did not take his first podium end for Ferrari, Hamilton was clearly glad with how his season began. Other than the nagging downside of the pit cease technique, which Santi conceded was liable for most of his deficit to Russell.
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Chequered flag
Santi
Mode sluggish and funky the automotive. Mega race, very strong, second stint was super-fast. Russell P1, Antonelli P2, Charles P3 and we’re P4.
Hamilton
Nice effort guys, actually nice job, actually pleased with all of the work. Gracias everybody again on the manufacturing unit. Strong end result, strong factors, staff. Let’s hold pushing.
Santi
Thanks, Lewis.
Hamilton
P4 to P7 is fairly good. Different manner round: P7 to P4. How far forward have been they?
Santi
15 seconds. Mainly, it’s the pit cease.
Hamilton
Yeah. Want to choose up on that mate. [Unclear] we doing that once more.
Santi
The final stint you have been by far the quickest. And the primary you have been caught behind Charles.
Santi
And we’ll undergo the pit lane. P zero, please, P zero.
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2026 Australian Grand Prix
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