Mercedes Cites Borderline Heatstroke in Decision to Pull Hamilton and Russell from Post-Race Media Duties

"No hard feelings" – Mercedes clarifies the absence of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell from media appearances

Toto Wolff sheds light on the decision to withdraw Lewis Hamilton and George Russell from their post-race media obligations.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were excused from their media obligations following the Singapore Grand Prix because they were experiencing symptoms of "borderline heatstroke."

Russel secured a fourth-place finish in Singapore, outpacing his teammate, seven-time world champion Hamilton, by two positions. Hamilton expressed his disappointment with Mercedes' strategy.

Hamilton began the race in third place using soft tires but had to pit early, putting him at a disadvantage with worn hard tires in the second segment of the race. As a result, he was overtaken by Russell and future Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. Frustrated, the 39-year-old British driver expressed his displeasure over the team radio, accusing Mercedes of compromising his race strategy by saying they were "killing me with this offset."

Mercedes team boss Wolff emphasized that there were "no hard feelings" or "irritation," clarifying that his drivers were unable to participate in the scheduled media briefings due to the harsh conditions affecting their well-being.

“They were feeling unwell, possibly on the verge of heatstroke, but they had been drinking water,” Wolff reportedly said to PA.

"They wouldn't have been able to access the media area. There were no negative emotions or irritation involved. It was simply because the doctors were with them. However, everyone is fine."

A representative from Mercedes stated, “Regrettably, both George and Lewis will not be available for interviews tonight as they need to recuperate from the efforts of today’s race.”

Wolff confessed that choosing to begin Hamilton's race on soft tires turned out to be the “incorrect choice”.

"We made our decision by considering past races in Singapore, which are typically processional similar to Monaco, and believed that the soft tires would give him an advantage at the beginning," he stated.

"That was essentially the sole chance for overtaking. It was a collective mistake that we all made together."

The initial strategy seemed promising, but due to the rear tire degradation, we ended up losing ground. Although there was a rationale behind the decision, it clearly wasn't the right one. Nonetheless, the underlying issue remains that the car lacks speed.

"That evening was incredibly tough to endure. When you examine the results, finishing in fourth and sixth place is disappointing, particularly since we started in third and fourth positions."

"We're currently having difficulties with the car at tracks that have high temperatures and pose challenges for traction, like this one and Baku. However, this shouldn't be seen as an excuse."

"Right now, we are not meeting our own expectations because it's hard to come to terms with your fastest car trailing the leader by a full minute."

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