Christijan Albers thinks Ferrari gave Lewis Hamilton ‘a slap on the wrist’ for ‘funeral’ interview

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After Lewis Hamilton went on a rant about Ferrari not addressing his battery issues during the Japanese Grand Prix, Christijan Albers expects some repercussions.

Hamilton demanded an explanation for his battery issues, especially after seeing Charles Leclerc seemingly not suffer the same fate.

This frustration with the possibly preferential treatment could lead to Ferrari intervening between Leclerc and Hamilton.

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Fred Vasseur welcomed the battle between Hamilton and Leclerc, crediting their professionalism as one of the reasons for his lack of concern.

But Lewis Hamilton’s comments were bound to earn him some penalty, with Ferrari struggling with a PR issue.

READ MORE: Jacques Villeneuve claims Lewis Hamilton ‘paid the price’ for Ferrari issue he saw in Japanese GP

Christijan Albers questions Lewis Hamilton’s ‘funeral’ interview after Japanese GP frustration

Christijan Albers had some strong words for Lewis Hamilton after his scathing post-race interview took aim at Ferrari.

Speaking on the De Telegraaf F1 podcast, Albers noted that Ferrari are likely to punish Hamilton for his comments, as they would likely face the same issue with the FIA.

“I don’t think that’s very strong of him. He’s happy in China, for example, and then we come to Japan, he has an interview, and it feels like conducting a funeral. The coffin is coming…

“That is clear (Ferrari need to be positive) because at some point you also have to get out of that negative environment. We can keep whining about that battery and all those things.

“On the other hand, at some point, we can hardly analyse a race anymore. They are getting a slap on the wrist from above. Ferrari naturally have to be careful. They also want to maintain that positivity.

“Mercedes won’t say anything wrong because they are so dominant. They are in a wonderful position… It is realistic, and it is unrealistic…

“Everyone has their own feelings and their own story. One thing we do know is that the FIA simply hasn’t gotten these new regulations right this season…”

READ MORE: Fans say Lewis Hamilton radio during Oscar Piastri battle sums up the problem with 2026 F1 rules

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Christijan Albers claims Lewis Hamilton has lost his ‘mojo’ teaming with Charles Leclerc

Speaking about the biggest names in Formula 1, Christijan Albers suggested that Lewis Hamilton wasn’t a big name anymore, especially after losing his mojo teaming with Charles Leclerc.

“Not so much anymore (on Lewis being a big name). We can hope he gets his mojo back. But I have a feeling that Leclerc still has the upper hand, and they (Ferrari) just see him as a young dog who is really hungry.”

To suggest that Hamilton, one of the greatest drivers of all time, is no longer a big name in the sport is quite a bold claim, especially considering his improved performance this season.

While Hamilton is yet to win a race with Ferrari, his renewed form has been exciting. And even though Ferrari won’t get Hamilton’s desired upgrades in time for the Miami Grand Prix, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about his chances this season.