Martin Brundle calls Lewis Hamilton’s Singapore strategy bizarre
Lewis Hamilton finished sixth in the Singapore Grand Prix after declining a pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur confirmed the decision cost the team a podium finish, while Hamilton apologized to the pit wall for the strategic error.
Brundle’s verdict on the missed podium
Martin Brundle described Lewis Hamilton’s decision to forgo a pit stop during the Singapore Grand Prix as "bizarre." The driver finished sixth after choosing a one-stop strategy that required 44 laps on soft tyres. Hamilton initially pitted on Lap 18 for softs, which suggested a two-stop race. Martin Brundle noted that Hamilton declined a relatively cheap pit stop opportunity under the Virtual Safety Car when Lance Stroll’s stricken Aston Martin had to be cleared from the circuit. This choice led to a relentless slide down the order, and Hamilton eventually lost fifth place to Oscar Piastri despite the Australian having made an unscheduled stop for a slow puncture.
Ferrari reacts to the strategy error
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur stated, "We lost the podium with this," after the race. The team principal claimed they expected Hamilton to pit under the Virtual Safety Car to secure a better result. When the team requested a pit stop, Hamilton chose to stay on track. This disagreement showed how difficult it is to manage a modern F1 car and strategy from behind the wheel. You already know how hard racing becomes while managing pitwall data. Hamilton’s radio communications also appeared distorted to viewers during the Virtual Safety Car period, which made the team’s instruction harder to hear. Hamilton had previously expressed confusion to race engineer Carlo Santi, asking what the plan was because others were on a one-stop strategy.
Hamilton accepts responsibility
Hamilton apologized to the Ferrari pit wall via radio after he crossed the finish line. "Sorry, boys. I let you down today with that strategy," he said. The FIA medical team checked the driver after he felt unwell, and he later posted a statement on social media. He noted that the strategy did not deliver at a track difficult to overtake. Did the team’s failure to provide clear data regarding the pace of other cars contribute to the error? Hamilton remains third in the Drivers’ Championship, 14 points ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc.
