Toto Wolff has laid bare the strategic missteps that cost Lewis Hamilton dearly at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, as the seven-time world champion slid from third on the grid to a disappointing sixth place. Despite out-qualifying teammate George Russell, Hamilton’s Sunday quickly unraveled at the Marina Bay Circuit due to a series of questionable decisions by the Silver Arrows.
Hamilton started the race on soft tyres—a rare choice meant to grab track position early. Mercedes hoped he could leapfrog Max Verstappen’s Red Bull at the start, echoing Charles Leclerc’s aggressive strategy from 2023. However, Hamilton failed to gain any advantage off the line and quickly fell behind the leading pair.
Once his soft tyres began to degrade, Hamilton was forced into an early pit stop on Lap 18, swapping to hard tyres, while Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri waited significantly longer, conserving their tyres and track position. The early stop left Hamilton at the mercy of his competitors, unable to defend against the fresher-tyred Piastri, who passed him easily on Lap 40, and Leclerc, who surged by on Lap 52.
“This was a painful evening for us,” Wolff admitted, reflecting on the team’s poor decisions. “Starting third and fourth and finishing fourth and sixth is not good enough. We made strategic calls based on past races here, where track position is crucial, but it didn’t pay off this time.”
Wolff further explained the reasoning behind Hamilton’s soft-tyre start, highlighting the gamble that ultimately backfired. “We thought the soft tyre would give Lewis an edge at the start, but it ended up being the wrong choice. We struggled with managing rear tyre wear and ended up going backwards. In hindsight, we should have put him on the medium tyre.”
Hamilton’s decision to start on the softs stood out on a grid dominated by medium starters. While the softer compound offered better grip off the line, it proved too fragile for the long haul, forcing an early switch to hard tyres that left Hamilton exposed to overcuts from his rivals.
Degradation was much less severe on the mediums than anticipated, making them the tyre of choice in the hot and humid Singapore conditions. Hamilton’s early pit stop gambit not only failed to pay off but also set him up for a painful endgame as fresher-tyred competitors picked him off one by one.
Despite Russell finishing closer to Leclerc than Hamilton did to Piastri, Wolff insisted the outcome highlighted deeper issues with the Mercedes car. “We were too slow today. We’re struggling with tracks that are hot and tough on traction, like here and Baku. That’s not an excuse; it’s something we need to address.”
With the United States Grand Prix next on the calendar, Wolff revealed that the team has updates planned, hoping they will bring a much-needed performance boost. However, Mercedes faces an uphill battle in both championships. They are now 112 points behind Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings, and Hamilton trails Carlos Sainz by 16 points in their scrap for sixth in the Drivers’ Championship.
As the season heads into its final stretch, Mercedes must find answers fast if they hope to salvage some pride—and points—from a frustrating 2024 campaign.
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