Watch: Lewis Hamilton giving FIA president the cold shoulder after the F1 Bahrain GP

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton appeared to ignore FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem after the conclusion of the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix. Ben Sulayem went for a hug, but Hamilton gave him a cold shoulder and just walked past him with a handshake instead.

Hamilton started the race in P9 after a disastrous qualifying session on Saturday. However, he had a great recovery during the race on Sunday, finishing P5 ahead of Max Verstappen. Not only that, he was voted Driver of the Day for his performance.

Meanwhile, as the Bahrain GP concluded, a strange incident was caught on camera. FIA president Ben Sulayem was in attendance and was standing at the paddock to greet the driver.

However, Hamilton appeared disinterested. While Ben Sulayem went forward to hug him, the seven-time world champion ignored him and walked past him with a handshake.

The moment of Lewis Hamilton giving a cold shoulder to FIA president was caught on camera and went viral on social media. You can watch the video below (via @fiagirly on X):

The Ferrari driver and the FIA have been at crossroads in the past. The FIA pulled Hamilton up for wearing jewelry and taking a stand against political issues. The British driver has also criticized the FIA for its controversial decisions in the past. And tensions were visible as Hamilton and Ben Sulayem crossed paths in Bahrain.

Meanwhile, Hamilton delivered a strong result in Bahrain. Having started the race from P9, he drove a clean race to finish P5. He also thanked Ferrari for nailing the strategy and pit stops to allow him to maintain his lead over Max Verstappen.

On the other hand, his teammate Charles Leclerc missed out on a podium finish. Despite starting the race from P2, he dropped to P4. Lando Norris overtook him on lap 52 to clinch a P3 finish.

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Lewis Hamilton opens up on adjusting to Ferrari's driving style

Lewis Hamilton at F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain - Source: Getty

Lewis Hamilton, since joining Ferrari, has struggled to deliver consistent performance. Apart from a sprint race win in China, he has failed to win a single race this year. Meanwhile, after his P5 finish in Bahrain, Hamilton revealed how he is taking time to adjust to his new team.

Talking to Sky Sports, he said:

“What’s clear is, as humans, we get really stuck in our ways, and I think I’ve been driving in the certain style and certain way with the same team for such a long time. This car requires a much, much different driving style, so I’m adjusting to that, and I think I'm slowly getting it into my head. And getting the balance right, what’s clear is that Charles starts with a setup, and he stays with it pretty much all weekend, and I was a long way away from him.”

Lewis Hamilton previously raced for Mercedes for 11 years before switching to Ferrari this year on a multi-year contract.