Ferrari’s Singapore data exposes a bigger concern than Hamilton’s error
Ferrari left the Singapore Grand Prix with a runner-up finish for Charles Leclerc and questions about Lewis Hamilton’s lost podium chance. But the race also highlighted a concern that could prove more difficult to fix: Ferrari’s deficit on the straights.
Hamilton began on medium tyres, which did not prove the best choice. After switching to softs, he stayed out when a virtual safety car was deployed following Lance Stroll’s incident. Ferrari called him in, but he missed the pit entry and eventually finished sixth. Our report on Hamilton taking responsibility for Ferrari’s Singapore strategy call covers that costly moment.
Palmer’s comparison points to a power-unit deficit
Ferrari had shown strong single-lap pace, qualifying second and third behind Max Verstappen, who went on to win. Yet Jolyon Palmer said his analysis of the cars’ data showed Ferrari losing close to four tenths of a second to Mercedes on the straights in Singapore.
Palmer said the Ferrari’s power unit left the team short of performance, describing it as a recurring handicap in data and on-board comparisons. The gap to Verstappen’s Red Bull was not as pronounced as the one he observed against Mercedes, but he said Ferrari was still losing time there too.
The scale of the shortfall stood out because Singapore is not a circuit defined by long straights. Palmer warned that the weakness could be more damaging at faster venues, pointing to Monza and Baku as examples where Ferrari has struggled to compete.
Ferrari faces pressure to make its upgrades count
Palmer identified Mexico as a potential opportunity for Ferrari, citing the circuit’s characteristics and the team’s past strength there. Ferrari, meanwhile, expects to bring an upgrade package to Austin, with Leclerc having called for improvements. The source of the team’s concern is also central to its wider development effort, as explored in our look at Hamilton’s hopes for the SF-26.
Leclerc and Hamilton have each reached the podium twice since their respective wins in Barcelona and Silverstone. Hamilton’s missed chance in Singapore was a significant setback, but Ferrari’s straight-line deficit raises the broader question: can its upcoming package address the performance shortfall as well as improve the car elsewhere? The team will need more than a cleaner strategy if it is to close the gap Palmer saw in the data.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.