Nico Hulkenberg Criticizes Lewis Hamilton’s On-Track Behavior During Emilia-Romagna GP Practice
During the opening free practice session (FP1) at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg expressed frustration over Lewis Hamilton’s driving, describing it as “dangerous.” The incident occurred while both drivers were on slow laps. Hulkenberg took issue with Hamilton’s reduced speed at a specific section of the track—an uphill segment—where such behavior could pose a hazard due to limited visibility and space.
The FP1 session at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola saw teams and drivers easing back into the rhythm of the technical Italian circuit. While overall activity on track was relatively low-key, McLaren once again showcased strong performance, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris topping the timesheets.
Despite the quiet nature of the session, the narrow track layout led to several moments where drivers impeded one another. A notable flashpoint was the near-collision between Hulkenberg and Hamilton, when Hulkenberg almost ran into the back of the slow-moving Ferrari.
Reacting on the team radio, Hulkenberg exclaimed, “****, and it’s so dangerous when you go up the hill going slow, Hamilton.” The German, racing for Kick Sauber, concluded the session in 10th position, while his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto secured ninth. However, Bortoleto’s session ended prematurely after he crashed into the barriers at Rivazza, bringing out a red flag that ended the session early.
Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari in his debut home race with the Italian team, finished the session in fifth. Although competitive, the seven-time world champion reported issues with his car’s braking performance. He noted early in the session that the front brakes on his SF-25 car weren’t performing well, although he said they improved gradually throughout each lap.
Communicating with his race engineer, Hamilton commented, “Yeah brakes, they’re consistent but the fronts don’t seem to be working that well. They get better through the lap.” His engineer responded that they were still analyzing the data and tracking the car’s evolution over the lap.
Despite his complaints, Hamilton ended FP1 just 0.096 seconds behind pace-setter Oscar Piastri. His teammate Charles Leclerc finished down in 12th, nearly half a second adrift of the leaders. Hamilton is still seeking his first win over Leclerc in a regular qualifying or race session this season—a milestone he will be eager to reach as he continues adapting to life at Ferrari.