Lewis Hamilton takes blame for poor Singapore GP strategy
Lewis Hamilton has taken responsibility for his strategy in Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix, after a decision not to pit under a virtual safety car cost him dear. The VSC was called into action by race control on lap 39 when Lance Stroll pulled aside due to a suspected clutch issue in his Aston Martin. At that stage of the race, Hamilton had already done 21 laps on softs, while Leclerc ... Keep…
Lewis Hamilton has admitted his responsibility for the poor strategic decision at the Singapore Grand Prix. The race was marked by a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) that was called on lap 39, when Lance Stroll experienced a suspected clutch issue in his Aston Martin. While Hamilton had already completed 21 laps on soft tires, his team-mate Charles Leclerc was on a 15-lap medium stint.
Ferrari drivers, running second and third, could have potentially executed a double-stopping strategy, given their advantageous position. However, Hamilton chose to stay out for a mammoth 44-lap stint on softs, resulting in a collapse to sixth place. This tactical choice proved costly, as Hamilton ended up 46 seconds behind Leclerc, losing them approximately 41.5 seconds.
Lewis Hamilton expressed regret on the radio, acknowledging that his decision had cost them valuable points and conceded that he would try to make up for it in the next race. Racing engineer Carlo Santi confirmed the severity of the situation, stating that the strategy failure left Hamilton with an eight-point deficit in the drivers' standings, following Max Verstappen's maiden Singapore Grand Prix victory.
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