Hamilton was then instructed to ‘swap this lap’. The 40-year-old hit back by replying: ‘I’ll tell you when we can swap.’ Hamilton moved over for Leclerc moments later. The exchanges between Hamilton and Adami arrived a week after the British driver told his new race engineer to ‘leave him to it’ at the opening round in Australia.

The two drivers managed to get past Max Verstappen at the start and were squabbling for position, but Hamilton's right rear tyre made contact with Leclerc's front wing, with carbon fibre flying off his car.