Hamilton takes responsibility for Singapore strategy error after sixth-place finish

Lewis Hamilton accepted responsibility for a strategy decision that left him sixth at the Singapore Grand Prix after Ferrari had been in position to finish second and third. According to BBC Sport, Hamilton apologised to his team over the radio after losing three places in the closing laps as his tyres deteriorated.

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Ferrari had called both drivers into the pits during a mid-race virtual safety car period. Charles Leclerc stopped, but Hamilton stayed out. In a statement released by Ferrari, Hamilton said he had missed the pit entry when called in and then decided to protect his track position rather than make another stop. He said the resulting tyre degradation prevented him from holding on, and acknowledged that the outcome did not reflect the car’s pace.

Hamilton’s original plan had been to start on new medium tyres, extend his opening stint and attempt a one-stop race at a circuit where passing is difficult. The medium compound did not work as well as the soft, forcing an earlier stop than intended. His pace improved after switching tyres, but he said he still could not make the progress he needed. Hamilton’s first pit stop came six laps before Leclerc’s.

When Leclerc rejoined, Hamilton was close behind and initially quicker. Ferrari nevertheless kept the running order unchanged. Team principal Frederic Vasseur explained that Leclerc had the advantage of tyres fitted later. Vasseur also confirmed that Ferrari had instructed Hamilton to stop during the virtual safety car, while treating the driver’s eventual mistake as something the team needed to learn from rather than dwell on.

Max Verstappen won ahead of Leclerc and Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. The result was Verstappen’s first Singapore Grand Prix victory and his second consecutive win. Antonelli increased his championship lead to 102 points over team-mate George Russell, who finished ninth after starting at the back, and 111 over Hamilton. BBC Sport reported that Antonelli could secure the title at the next round in Austin, although uncertainty over the remaining calendar affects the championship calculations.

Hamilton did not attend the post-race media interviews after reporting that he felt unwell and receiving permission to miss them. In Ferrari’s statement, he apologised for the points lost, accepted that his decisions had been wrong and said he would keep working towards a stronger result at the next race.