Hamilton’s sixth‑place finish in Singapore left Ferrari stunned, as his refusal to pit doomed a potential podium alongside Leclerc. How could a podium slip away? Brundle labeled the plan “bizarre.”
Hamilton takes the blame
Hamilton switched to softs on lap 18, hinting at a two‑stop plan. When Stroll’s car retired and a VSC opened, Ferrari ordered both drivers into the pits. Hamilton stayed out, committing to 44 laps on a single soft set. Brundle summed it up:
He noted Hamilton began on fresh mediums but faded as the race wore on. Though a two‑stop seemed clear, he pitted early for softs on lap 18 and then ignored a cheap VSC stop when Stroll’s car was cleared.
The Brit then slid down the order, eventually surrendering fifth to Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, even though the Australian had suffered an unscheduled puncture.
Post‑race analysis revealed the one‑stop, 44‑lap stint was Hamilton’s own call.
He later apologized to the team for the decision.
Brundle pointed out that steering a modern F1 car while managing strategy from the cockpit is tough, and Ferrari had clearly expected a VSC pit.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur echoed the sentiment, telling reporters, “We lost the podium with this.” He added Hamilton would likely have finished second or third had he stopped. On the ignored instruction, Vasseur said, “When we asked them to pit, Lewis chose to stay out.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton
Will Ferrari rebuild trust with Hamilton for the next race?
Credit where it’s due, Hamilton didn’t hide his role in the flop. He radioed, “Sorry, boys. I let you down with that strategy,” then was excused from the media pit after feeling ill and seeing the FIA medical crew. On Monday he posted a statement:
He wrote, “Yesterday wasn’t the result we wanted, and that’s on me. On a circuit where overtaking is tough, you need a different approach, and I chose a plan that didn’t work. It’s a painful lesson, but I own the choices I made.”
He continued, “Racing demands decisions that don’t always pay off. The key is spotting mistakes and building on them. I’m grateful to the team for their weekend effort. P6 doesn’t reflect our pace, and despite the finish there are positives to take.”
He added, “Huge thanks to the Singapore fans for the energy. I’ll keep working hard and return fighting at the next race.”
The logic behind Hamilton’s gamble makes sense; Singapore is a passing nightmare, so any free VSC stop is tempting. Still, the move felt reckless, and Brundle’s confusion is understandable.
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Lewis Hamilton’s sixth place finish at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix was disappointing for the Ferrari team.
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What Brundle saw from the commentary box