Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton’s Radio Confusion Exposed as Ferrari Miscommunication Leads to Last-Place Vegas Start
Lewis Hamilton suffered one of the most dramatic qualifying collapses of his career at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, ending Q1 as the slowest of all 20 drivers. But the real story behind his shock elimination lies in an unexpected combination of radio confusion, misread signals, wet-weather chaos, and timing-line misjudgment that left the seven-time world champion furious — and Ferrari under renewed pressure.
Lewis Hamilton Misreads Red Light and Aborts His Only Chance at Escape
As Q1 hit its tense final seconds, Hamilton crossed the timing line just before the clock hit zero, giving him one final shot at a flying lap. However, in the cockpit, he saw a red light flash on his dashboard and immediately lifted off, assuming he had missed the window.
He hadn’t as analysts and onboard footage confirmed that the timing line showed green, and Lewis Hamilton was “100 per cent good to go” for another lap when he crossed it. The red lights appeared only half a second later — at the start line, not the finish line.
This subtle distinction proved catastrophic.
Ferrari Did Warn Him — But Hamilton Still Lifted
Former McLaren engineer and Sky F1 strategist Bernie Collins reviewed the team radio and revealed that Ferrari had warned Lewis Hamilton earlier in the lap that it would be tight and he needed to keep pushing.
Moments before the line, Hamilton asked, “Am I safe?”
Ferrari replied, “No, keep pushing.”
But Lewis Hamilton trusted the red dash light more than the radio call.
“Once he lifts, that’s it,” Bernie Collins explained. “There’s no point telling him to push again. The lap is gone.”
Button: Hamilton Should Have Known Better
Jenson Button did not mince words. The 2009 world champion and former teammate said Hamilton made a fundamental mistake.
“If you see red lights, you think it’s over,” Button said. “But the timing line is before the gantry. He knows that.”
Button suggested Hamilton “lost focus” amid the rain, yellow flags and pressure, but ultimately believed the driver bore the responsibility.
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Ferrari Under Scrutiny Again After Elkann Quip
Analysts added fuel to the fire by recalling Ferrari chairman John Elkann’s scathing remarks after the Brazil double DNF, joking about what Elkann might say this time. With teammate Charles Leclerc starting ninth, Lewis Hamilton’s last-place result deepens Ferrari’s internal tension — and raises questions about communication under pressure.
Hamilton: “I Didn’t Have the Grip Anyway”
Despite the controversy, Hamilton later insisted the mistake wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
“I didn’t have the grip,” he said. “I don’t think it would have made much difference.”
Still, the optics are brutal: a seven-time world champion eliminated in Q1 because of a misread light and a split-second misjudgment.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix now begins with Hamilton at the very back — and Ferrari bracing for another round of criticism.
