Double Podium Gambled Away: Hamilton Apologizes Over Radio

Ferrari once again caught attention with an idiosyncratic strategy at the Singapore Grand Prix.

In Max Verstappen's first win in Singapore (to the race report >>>), the team gambled on a Charles Leclerc victory, while Lewis Hamilton was ultimately dropped down the order and finished only sixth.

The Scuderia pitted Hamilton as early as lap 19 to get him off the unpopular medium tyres. This made a two-stop strategy seem likely for the Brit.

However, a few laps later, Charles Leclerc was also brought into the pits, which meant he remained ahead of his teammate on track but "slowed down" the Brit on the soft tyres.

Hamilton Apologizes to Team Over Radio

After a VSC on lap 39, the Italian team wanted to bring both drivers in for a "double-stack," which would likely have cost Hamilton a significant amount of time. The seven-time world champion chose to stay out at his own request and try to make it to the end.

This ultimately backfired: While Leclerc couldn't catch Verstappen, the second Ferrari driver was dropped down the order and ultimately finished in a disappointing sixth place.

After crossing the finish line, Hamilton apologized to his team over the radio for staying out on the soft tyres: "Sorry, guys. I let you down with the strategy today. My decision, I cost us valuable points."

Leclerc Regrets Not Being More Aggressive at the Start

Leclerc expressed satisfaction with second place. "We were much better at the start of the race, but then we had problems with the tyres in the first stint," summarized the 28-year-old.

During the VSC, his team tried "a different strategy" than Max. "I believed in it until the very end, but I pushed a lot at the beginning of the last stint and then had problems with the tyres."

The Monegasque added: "I did everything I could, but I don't think I could have done more." His only regret was not being more aggressive at the start, when he backed off against Verstappen into Turn 1.