Mercedes shed light on Lewis Hamilton failure as Brit left fuming at Toto Wolff’s…read more.
Mercedes have explained the strategy decision that left Lewis Hamilton frustrated during the Singapore Grand Prix, where the seven-time world champion finished in sixth place despite qualifying in third. Mercedes opted for an unconventional tyre selection that ultimately compromised Hamilton’s race, leading to a difficult day for the British driver.
Starting the race with the hope of beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen into Turn One, Mercedes chose to fit Hamilton’s car with soft-compound tyres. The intention was to use the faster-degrading soft tyres to get a quick launch off the grid and gain track position early. This strategy, however, did not work as planned.
Hamilton quickly began to struggle with tyre temperatures and grip, forcing the team to pit him earlier than anticipated. This early stop set up a long stint on the hard tyres for the remainder of the race. Unfortunately, this strategy opened the door for Hamilton to be overcut by several competitors, including his teammate George Russell, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. As a result, Hamilton crossed the line in a disappointing sixth place.
In response to the outcome, Mercedes technical director James Allison acknowledged that the team had made a crucial mistake with their strategy choice. “We shouldn’t have started on the softs, that was a mistake. If we could turn back time, we would do what those around us did and select the mediums,” he said.
Allison further explained that the team’s rationale behind starting Hamilton on soft tyres was based on a belief that the softer compound would provide a strong launch and allow him to gain positions in the opening laps. “The soft often allows you to get away from the start abruptly and gives you a good chance of jumping a place or two,” he said. However, Mercedes did not anticipate the issues Hamilton would face with tyre degradation. “We had no real expectation before the race that we were going to suffer the sorts of difficulties that we then experienced on the soft rubber. We imagined we would get the upside of the soft rubber of getting a place or two,” he added.
Unfortunately for Hamilton, the plan did not unfold as expected. “We didn’t get the places at the start,” Allison admitted. As the race progressed, Hamilton’s pace declined significantly from around lap five, and his tyres began to degrade quickly. This forced Mercedes to bring him into the pits for an early tyre change, effectively compromising his race strategy. “That left Lewis with a car that was not particularly happy, suffering from quite poor tyre degradation and needing to come in early as a consequence. It really ruined his race for him. So just a clear mistake,” Allison said.
The explanation from Allison may not be enough to satisfy Hamilton, who was visibly frustrated with the team’s decision-making during the race. Hamilton expressed his displeasure at being put on a different strategy from his teammate George Russell, who started on medium tyres. “We sat in our meeting in the morning of the race, actually the night before they already mentioned that they would like to split the cars,” Hamilton explained after the race.
Hamilton revealed that he had argued against starting on soft tyres but was ultimately overruled by the team. “For me, I was a bit perplexed by it. Because in the past, when we’ve ever been in that position, it’s always better to be on the same tyres as your teammate,” he said. “So I battled as hard as I could to fight to go on the medium tyre, but the team continued to suggest that I started on the soft.”
Hamilton’s frustration grew even further when he saw that the majority of the grid, including his direct competitors, were starting on medium tyres. “When they took the tyre blankets off, everyone was on mediums. I was so angry, so already from that moment I’m frustrated,” he admitted.
Ultimately, the strategy misstep cost Hamilton a stronger result at the Singapore Grand Prix, and while Mercedes has acknowledged their error, the incident highlights the delicate balance between team strategy and driver input in Formula 1.
