Hamilton Apologises to Leclerc for Botched Ferrari Position Swap at Azerbaijan GP

Lewis Hamilton apologized to Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after failing to correctly execute a team order to swap positions late in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Despite being instructed on the final lap to let Leclerc pass him, Hamilton misjudged the timing and crossed the finish line about 0.4 seconds ahead, securing eighth place to Leclerc's ninth. Hamilton explained that he was focused on the car ahead and received the message too late, but he did attempt to lift and brake to let Leclerc through. Leclerc downplayed the incident, noting that the difference between eighth and ninth place was not significant and expressing hope that team protocols would be better followed in more critical situations. Hamilton also acknowledged the overall underwhelming result and highlighted positives such as his improved race pace and progress from 12th on the grid. Both drivers suggested that while the position swap mishap was unfortunate, it was not a major issue given the context of the race outcome.