Lewis Hamilton wasn’t pleased with Mercedes’ strategy for the Singapore Grand Prix.
He started from P3 on soft tires, a choice he tried to change.
Most drivers began on mediums at Marina Bay Street Circuit. Hamilton was the only one at the front with a different plan. “We discussed splitting the cars in our meeting before the race,” Hamilton said at a Petronas event.
Why Hamilton was angry with Mercedes’ decision
The 39-year-old Briton couldn’t understand why they split strategies since both Mercedes drivers qualified in the second row. “I was confused. Usually, if George qualifies well and I’m out of the top 10, we split strategies. But we were so close this time; it didn’t make sense,” he explained.
“I fought hard to start on medium tires, but the team insisted on softs. When they took off the tire blankets, everyone else had mediums,” said Hamilton. George Russell added, “When I saw that, I thought, ‘Lewis won’t be happy.’”
“I was furious,” continued Hamilton. “From that moment, I was frustrated. I tried my best to keep up with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, but they were faster.” He added that he tried to make his tires last as long as possible but had to pit on Lap 17. “I knew then my race was over because the hard tire would struggle in that heat.”
Fans might think this strategy call was a big mistake by Mercedes.
Hamilton’s frustration is understandable given how things played out during the race. Sometimes teams make decisions that don’t work out as planned.
What do you think about Mercedes’ strategy?
