Lewis Hamilton expresses frustration over Mercedes' strategy after Singapore GP setback

Lewis Hamilton entered the Singapore GP with high hopes, having qualified in P3, a prime position to challenge for a podium. However, what could have been a successful race turned into a disappointing outing for the seven-time world champion, as he crossed the finish line in P6. The Mercedes star was visibly frustrated with the team's strategy, which he believes ultimately cost him the race.

After the race, Hamilton expressed his dissatisfaction during an event for Mercedes’ sponsor, Petronas, where he openly criticized the team’s decision to split the race strategy between him and teammate George Russell. The decision left him feeling perplexed and disadvantaged from the very start of the race.

“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. “And for me, I was a bit perplexed by it. Because in the past, when we’ve ever been in that position, they haven’t done that.”

“I was so angry”, says Lewis Hamilton

The strategy gamble saw Hamilton starting on soft tyres, while most of the top 10 drivers, including his teammate Russell, began on the more durable medium tyres. Mercedes hoped that the softs would give Hamilton an early advantage over rivals like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. However, the plan quickly unravelled when Hamilton couldn’t make up any positions off the line and had to pit much earlier than his competitors due to the soft tyres' rapid wear.

“And then when they took the tyre blankets off, everyone was on mediums. I was so angry, so already from that moment I’m frustrated,” Hamilton added, clearly reflecting on the missed opportunity. As a result of the early pit stop, Hamilton lost positions to Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and even Russell, who started right behind him. The split strategy left Hamilton fighting an uphill battle for the rest of the race, eventually finishing in a frustrating P6.

Mercedes typically avoids splitting their drivers’ strategies unless they are starting far apart on the grid. This decision, made despite Hamilton and Russell starting nearby, confused Hamilton and left him questioning the team's reasoning.