Mid-race radio rant was all PG-rated - Hamilton

LEWIS Hamilton said he will refuse to “apologise for being a fighter” as he defended his “PG” radio spat with Ferrari at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

- PHILIP DUNCAN

Hamilton accused his team of having “a tea break” as they decided whether Charles Leclerc should be moved out of his way while they were running in seventh and eighth.

Ferrari ushered Leclerc aside, but when Hamilton failed to make any impression on his Mercedes’ replacement Kimi Antonelli ahead, the two drivers were ordered to trade positions again with four laps left.

After swapping places for a second time, Hamilton's race engineer Riccardo Adami then informed his driver that Carlos Sainz was just 1.4 seconds behind him. Hamilton hit back: “You want me to let him past as well?”