Martin Brundle hit Lewis Hamilton with criticism after the driver’s own strategy led to the loss of a potential podium at the ‘difficult’ F1 Singapore GP.
Ferrari looked set for a double podium finish at the demanding Singapore GP. Lewis Hamilton started the 62-lap race on the Medium tyre, while teammate Charles Leclerc opted for Softs. Heading into a relatively early pit stop on Lap 18, Hamilton opted for Softs.
Despite the opportunity for a cheap pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car, the seven-time World Champion did not follow his teammate into the pits. Although Ferrari intended to put both drivers on a two-stop strategy, Hamilton took charge and stayed on the Soft tyre for the rest of the race.
This time around, his decision to take matters into his own hands failed. The Ferrari driver suffered on the same tyres for 44 laps and, after a significant loss of pace, he finished the race sixth instead of third.
His decision drew criticism and questions once it became clear it was the wrong call. Martin Brundle was among those who chose to voice their opinion on the matter.
“Hamilton started on a fresh set of Medium tyres but began to struggle as the race progressed,” Brundle wrote.
“Appearing to be on a clear two-stop strategy, he pitted as early as Lap 18 for soft tyres. Bizarrely, he would not stop again, despite the opportunity to make a relatively cheap pit stop under a Virtual Safety Car when Lance Stroll’s stricken Aston Martin had to be cleared from the circuit.
“Hamilton then endured a relentless slide down the order, eventually losing fifth place to Oscar Piastri’s McLaren in the closing stages, despite the Australian having made an unscheduled stop for a slow puncture.
“After the race, it emerged that switching to a one-stop strategy, which required him to complete 44 laps on the same tyres, had been Hamilton’s own decision. He apologised to the team for the call.
“It is difficult to run a modern F1 car and manage the team’s strategy from behind the wheel, and the incident was telling. Ferrari had seemingly expected Hamilton to pit under the VSC.”
After the race, Hamilton apologised to the team over the radio. The Scuderia driver acknowledged that he made the wrong call, but it cost the team a possible podium.
Hamilton apologises for ‘painful lesson’ learned in Singapore
The Ferrari driver did not take part in post-race media duties due to feeling ill. But after the race, he took to social media to express his thoughts on the difficult race and the failed strategy.
“Yesterday wasn’t the result we were looking for, and that’s on me. At a track that’s difficult to overtake, you need to try something different and I chose a strategy that ultimately didn’t deliver,” Hamilton shared on social media.
“It’s a painful lesson to learn, but I take full responsibility for the decisions I made. In this sport, not every call will work out. It’s about accepting when you get it wrong and how you move forward.
“I’m grateful to the team for the work they put in every weekend. P6 doesn’t reflect the pace we had in the car over the weekend, and despite the result there are positives to take away.
“Massive thanks to the fans in Singapore for the energy. I’ll continue to put the work in and come back fighting at the next race.”
While Hamilton had hoped his strategy would propel him further up the order, it unfortunately did the exact opposite.
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