Hamilton takes responsibility for Ferrari strategy error at Singapore Grand Prix
Seven-time world champion explains costly pit-stop confusion in statement released by Ferrari after finishing sixth
Lewis Hamilton has taken full responsibility for the strategic decisions that cost him a potential podium finish at the Singapore Grand Prix, admitting he missed the pit entry under Virtual Safety Car conditions before choosing to remain on track.
The Ferrari driver finished sixth at Marina Bay after losing three positions in the closing stages, while teammate Charles Leclerc secured second place behind race winner Max Verstappen.
Hamilton’s explanation was delivered through an official Ferrari press release after the seven-time world champion was excused from his post-race media duties because he was feeling unwell.
The statement offered a clearer account of the decisions that ultimately compromised his race, particularly the confusion surrounding Ferrari’s instructions during the final Virtual Safety Car period.
Hamilton’s ambitious strategy fails to deliver
Hamilton had entered the race with hopes of securing a strong result in a competitive Ferrari, opting for an alternative tyre strategy on a circuit where overtaking opportunities are notoriously limited.
The British driver chose to start on a fresh set of medium tyres, intending to extend his opening stint and potentially complete the race with a single pit stop.
However, the strategy failed to produce the expected advantage.
« Today we didn’t get the result we were looking for, and that’s my fault, » Hamilton said in the statement released by Ferrari.
« On a circuit where it’s difficult to overtake, you have to try something different, and I chose to start on a fresh set of medium tyres, extend my stint and try to make a one-stop strategy work.
« Unfortunately, the mediums didn’t perform as well as the softs. I had a good second stint and the pace came back, but I couldn’t make as much progress as I needed. »
Despite recovering some competitiveness during the second half of the race, Hamilton remained unable to capitalise fully on Ferrari’s pace.
Missed pit entry proves costly
The decisive moment came during the final Virtual Safety Car period, when Ferrari identified an opportunity to bring both drivers into the pits for fresh tyres while minimising the time lost.
Hamilton was instructed to pit but failed to enter the pit lane.
The incident initially raised questions over whether the driver had deliberately ignored the team’s instruction or simply missed the opportunity to stop.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur had indicated after the race that the team wanted both cars to pit during the neutralisation, although the precise circumstances surrounding Hamilton’s decision remained unclear.
Hamilton’s subsequent explanation, as presented in Ferrari’s official statement, offered a different interpretation.
« Under the Virtual Safety Car, the team asked me to pit, but I missed the pit entry, » Hamilton explained.
« After that, I decided to stay out and try to hold my position until the finish, but in the closing laps I struggled massively with tyre degradation and lost three places, finishing sixth, which doesn’t reflect the pace we had with the car today. »
The decision left Hamilton vulnerable in the final stages as his tyres deteriorated, ultimately costing him three positions.
Ferrari statement offers a new account
Hamilton’s explanation is particularly significant given the uncertainty surrounding the pit-stop incident immediately after the race.
While the initial discussion centred on whether he had refused Ferrari’s instruction, the version subsequently communicated by the team suggests he missed the pit entry on the first occasion before personally deciding against stopping on the following lap.
There is, however, an important distinction regarding the source of these comments.
Hamilton did not deliver this explanation directly to television broadcasters or journalists after the race. Instead, his remarks were distributed through Ferrari’s official post-race statement.
That distinction matters because the statement presents a more definitive account of an incident that had initially prompted confusion over communication and decision-making between driver and pit wall.
Although it clarifies Hamilton’s stated position, it does not independently establish every detail of the exchange.
Hamilton apologises to Ferrari
The seven-time world champion had already acknowledged his responsibility over team radio, apologising to race engineer Carlos Santi and the Ferrari crew for the points lost.
His post-race statement reinforced that message, making clear that he did not intend to shift responsibility onto the team’s strategists or engineers.
« It’s a painful lesson today, but I take full responsibility for the decisions I made, » Hamilton said.
« Not every decision can work out, and I can accept getting it wrong, but I’m sorry to the team for the points we lost today.
« They give so much of themselves every weekend, and I wanted to give them more. I’ll keep working hard and come back fighting at the next race. »
Hamilton’s admission brings a measure of clarity to a frustrating afternoon for Ferrari, which had the pace to challenge for a stronger combined result.
With Leclerc finishing second, the Italian team demonstrated its competitiveness on the demanding Marina Bay circuit.
For Hamilton, however, an ambitious opening strategy, a missed pit entry and a subsequent decision to remain on worn tyres turned a potential podium opportunity into a sixth-place finish.
His willingness to accept responsibility leaves little doubt about his public position, even if questions remain over how the crucial pit-stop sequence unfolded.
