Hamilton takes full blame for wrong Ferrari strategy call at Singapore GP

Lewis Hamilton accepted responsibility for a costly strategy decision that turned a potential podium challenge into a sixth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Hamilton stayed out as Leclerc took the cheaper stop

The VSC came after Lance Stroll pulled aside with a suspected clutch problem in his Aston Martin. Hamilton had already completed 21 laps on Soft tyres; Leclerc had run 15 laps on Mediums. Ferrari was running second and third, and the cars were separated by 4.4 seconds as they approached Turns 10 and 11 when the VSC began. A double-stack was possible, but only Leclerc came in.

Hamilton crossed the line nearly 46 seconds behind Leclerc. The strategy decision accounted for about 41.5 seconds of that deficit, according to the race figures in the report. His apology also included praise for the pit crew’s stop, while race engineer Carlo Santi acknowledged the message.

The result adds another difficult chapter to Hamilton’s Ferrari campaign, a theme explored in our look at his 2026 redemption bid. Our earlier coverage of Hamilton’s Dutch Grand Prix qualifying setback also tracks his season with the team.

Singapore setback tightens the championship margin

The lost points carry consequences beyond Ferrari’s race result. Following Max Verstappen’s maiden Singapore Grand Prix victory, Hamilton’s advantage over the Dutchman—fourth in the drivers’ standings—has narrowed to eight points.

Hamilton said he would try to recover the points at the next race. But the immediate lesson from Marina Bay is clear: with Ferrari running near the front, the decision not to use the VSC for a stop proved decisive to his afternoon.