On the Marina Bay Circuit, Lewis Hamilton recovered from th FP sessions and made a slight comeback on Saturday’s quali. However, the team put him on softs on the start line. As a result, Hamilton struggled throughout the race and eventually settled for a sixth-place finish. It was yet another race without stepping on the podium, solely due to a faulty start.
Everyone, except for Hamilton, was on the mediums, while Mercedes’s error judgment put him on the softs. The past record influenced the team’s decision, as they failed to read the conditions well. On a humid/hot day with an inconsistent W15, it was almost impossible to yield better results. However, Mercedes’s technical head accepted the mistake and apologized to the Briton.
Mercedes Technical Head Accepts The “Soft Tire” Strategy Was A Mistake
The Silver Arrows wanted to gain an early advantage by equipping Hamilton with red-marked tires. However, the experiment was a complete failure, as he was out of podium contention despite starting from the front row. Thus, James Allison discussed the entire conundrum during the post-race debrief on YouTube. Before explaining the reasons, Allison accepted the mistake, as starting on softs was a blunder. Given another opportunity, he would have opted for a similar tire configuration to others. Further, talking about the reason behind this move, Allison explained the utility of soft tires. The soft configuration gives you maximum speed at the cost of high degradation. Thus, Mercedes’s technical team wanted a headstart, allowing them to take the lead during the initial laps.
However, things didn’t go as planned, and it turned out to be an absolute disaster. Moreover, Allison and his team were not anticipating such issues on the soft rubber. The team envisioned using the top layer of tires to maintain an early advantage. The team hoped the inner layers wouldn’t trouble Hamilton, as he would already have a substantial lead. Sadly, nothing worked out, as Hamilton had to fight to retain the sixth spot.
Furthermore, it wasn’t the first time the Mercedes team made a miscalculated move. During the British GP, the team asked Hamilton to pit twice, but the Seven-time world champion denied, eventually winning a race after a long wait. Additionally, tire temperature management has been a key issue for the Silver Arrows. The team is grappling with the challenge of tire temperature management, especially in warmer conditions. The tire issue further aggravates the W15’s balance issue, which makes controlling it impossible.
Lewis Hamilton Baffled By Mercedes’s Choice To Start On Softs
Lewis Hamilton expressed his frustration regarding the tire strategy during a recent race. He felt that it was illogical to stick with the initial plan when the team was so close to a competitive position. Despite his efforts to push for a switch to medium tires, the team insisted on starting with soft tires. As the situation unfolded, the tire blankets were removed, revealing that all other drivers were on medium tires. This discrepancy left Hamilton feeling sidelined and questioning the team’s strategy.