Strategy Clash at Singapore GP: Hamilton’s Frustration and Mercedes’ Misstep Unveiled

Lewis Hamilton expressed confusion and frustration over Mercedes' choice to adopt divergent strategies during the Singapore Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton disclosed that he fought with everything he had to commence the F1 Singapore Grand Prix on medium tyres, finding himself puzzled by Mercedes' strategic approach.

Starting from third position on the grid, right next to his teammate George Russell who secured the fourth spot, Hamilton kicked off the race on red-walled soft tyres, in contrast to his competitors nearby, who all opted for medium tyres.

The seven-time world champion expressed frustration over his strategy, dropping to a sixth-place finish at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. He vented on the team radio, accusing Mercedes of severely undermining him with their tactical decisions.

Following the race, the Mercedes team's drivers were excused from their media duties, as team principal Toto Wolff disclosed that they were experiencing symptoms close to heatstroke.

During a Petronas-sponsored event in Kuala Lumpur, Hamilton expressed confusion over Mercedes' choice to begin on soft tires, stating it "didn't make sense to me."

"Hamilton described the race as lacking enjoyment. He mentioned that during their morning meeting before the race, and even the night prior, there had been discussions about wanting to separate the cars."

"I found it somewhat confusing because historically, whenever we've found ourselves in such a scenario, if George has managed to qualify strongly, as he usually does, and I'm not among the top 10 or so, then we would typically opt for different strategies.

"However, when we were nearly there, it seemed illogical to me, so I fiercely contested to proceed with the medium tire, yet the team kept recommending that I begin on the soft."

"When they removed the tire warmers and everyone had medium tires installed…"

Russell, seated next to Hamilton, chimed in, stating, "Seeing that made me think 'Lewis is not going to like this'."

"I was filled with rage. From that point on, my frustration began," Hamilton elaborated.

"I did everything I could to stay on pace with the leaders, but they were moving too quickly. After that, my focus shifted to extending the life of my tyre as much as possible.

I realized the race was over for me when I made a pit stop on Lap 17, understanding that the hard tyre wouldn't perform well in such high temperatures.

"We faced ongoing challenges in getting the car's balance right throughout the weekend. We made numerous adjustments in an attempt to improve. While we managed to perform well in the qualifying rounds, the race itself proved to be too difficult for us to overcome."

Wolff admitted that Mercedes' strategic choice was a mistake.

"Wolff explained to the press in Singapore that the strategy was influenced by past races in Singapore, which are typically follow-the-leader events, similar to Monaco, and that choosing the soft tyre could provide an advantage at the beginning."

Essentially, that was the sole clear chance to pass. It was a mistaken choice that we collectively made as a group.

The strategy seemed promising at first, but due to the degradation of the rear tyre, we inevitably lost ground. While there was reasoning behind our decision, in hindsight, it contradicted what would have been the better choice. Nonetheless, this doesn't obscure the reality that our car's pace is lacking.

"The evening was quite difficult. When considering the final standings, fourth and sixth place are far from satisfactory, particularly when you began the race in third and fourth positions."

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