The Mercedes team has faced challenges since the summer break. After a brief period of dominance, the Silver Arrows have struggled to address their technical issues, including problems with balance and the car’s floor. This lack of clarity has hindered their ability to produce strong performances on the track.
The situation at the Singapore GP was no different, as both Mercedes drivers experienced mixed results. While George Russell managed to hold off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to finish fourth, Lewis Hamilton ended up in sixth place. The humid conditions of the Marina Bay circuit compounded the difficulties, and the team’s self-sabotaging strategy prevented Hamilton from achieving a better position. Lewis Hamilton expressed disappointment after a terrible outcome courtesy of a faulty strategy.
“Everyone Was On Mediums,” Mercedes Tyre Strategy Under Fire After Hamilton’s Recent Admission
Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration with the team’s strategy after finishing sixth at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Over team radio, he conveyed his displeasure, stating that Mercedes was “killing” him with their decision-making. Following the race, both Hamilton and his teammate were pulled from media commitments as team principal Toto Wolff revealed they were suffering from “borderline heatstroke.”
Speaking at a Petronas sponsor event in Kuala Lumpur, Hamilton shared that Mercedes’ choice to start on soft tires “didn’t make sense.” He recounted how, during their morning meeting before the race, the team had proposed splitting the strategies, a tactic he found perplexing given the close qualifying results. In past scenarios, if one driver had qualified well and the other was outside the top ten, they would typically employ split strategies. However, since both drivers were competitive, teh seven-time world champion struggled to understand why the team insisted he starts on soft tires when he felt medium tires would have been more beneficial.
Thereupon, Hamilton’s frustration grew when the tire blankets were removed, and it became clear that everyone else was on medium tires. He acknowledged that he was angry and found it challenging to keep pace with the front-runners, who were simply too fast. He attempted to make his soft tires last but ultimately had to pit on Lap 17, knowing that switching to hard tires in the sweltering heat would be challenging. Despite a strong qualifying performance, Hamilton lamented that the race became a struggle due to the team’s ongoing balance issues throughout the weekend.
“We Read The Race Wrong,” Toto Wolff Accepts The Mistake
Toto Wolff acknowledged that Mercedes made a significant strategic error during the race, referring to it as the “wrong decision.” He explained that past performances at the Singapore Grand Prix influenced the team’s choice, where races often resemble a procession similar to Monaco. They believed that starting on soft tires would provide an advantage. Moreover, the Mercedes chief noted that the soft tire strategy initially intended to create an overtaking opportunity, but this decision ultimately backfired.
He admitted that the team collectively made this decision, recognizing that it was flawed given the tire degradation they experienced during the race. Despite the initial logic behind choosing soft tires, it became evident that the strategy led to backward momentum instead of progress. Wolff stressed that this misstep does not change the underlying issue: the car’s overall performance is lacking.
