A podium was in sight for Mercedes ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, until questionable strategies came into play.
The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most important races of the year. The annual night race is the most physically challenging on the track. It is one that truly tests the drivers. This is the race they spend all year training for.
Going into qualifying, Mercedes were expected to be in the mix for Q3. Following this season’s pattern, George Russell was expected to qualify higher than Lewis Hamilton who has struggled in qualifying of late.
However, Hamilton was quick in Q3. As McLaren and Red Bull locked out the front row with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, Hamilton timed in right behind them in P3. Russell slotted in just behind his teammate, making it a Mercedes second-row lockout.
With Ferrari starting the race from P9 and P10, and the other McLaren of Oscar Piastri in P5, a Hamilton podium looked likely.
The start of questionable choices
To start the race in Singapore, Mercedes put Lewis Hamilton on the Soft tyres. He and Ricciardo who started the race in P16 were the only ones to take the risk. In Hamilton’s case, it was an even bigger risk as he was starting in P3, while those around him started on the more favourable tyres, the Mediums.
This is Singapore, where overtaking is difficult. Not to mention, the cars ahead of him were the McLaren and Red Bull of Norris and Verstappen with significantly faster packages. And was there to be an early Safety Car, the 7-time champion wouldn’t be able to take advantage of it as everyone around him would put on the Hards. Pitting early was also an unfavourable move as there would be no gaps to drop into, especially considering how much time the drivers lose in the pits in Singapore. It costs about 28 seconds to do a pitstop in Singapore!
All in all, before the lights even went out, it looked like Hamilton’s chance at a podium had been thrown away. His race was over before it even started.
How it unfolded
For his 350th Grand Prix start, Hamilton had quite the work cut out for him. Starting on the Softs would be difficult.
He found himself having to manage his tyres early on, in order to extend their lifespan as long as possible. Naturally, that infuriated his teammate behind him who could obviously go faster on the more favourable Medium tyres.
Hamilton managed his tyres well, keeping them in good condition. However, Mercedes made the odd choice to call him in early. On Lap 18, he was called into the pits, where another odd choice was made. The mechanics fitted the Hard tyres onto Hamilton’s cars. Drivers who had already been on the Hard tyres prior to him had already struggled with them.
Hamilton himself went on to the team radio, questioning the early stop, as well as the tyre choice.
His teammate on the other hand had the more favourable strategy, despite starting the race in a lower position. Russell started on the ‘right’ tyre choice, the Mediums. By Lap 27, Russell was already forecasted to come out ahead of Hamilton after pitting, and that same lap, Russell did pit and come out ahead of his teammate.
📻 | Lewis Hamilton: “Sometimes I wonder why… [inaudible]” 👀
— deni (@fiagirly) September 22, 2024
Russell with fewer laps on his Hards stayed well ahead of Hamilton until the chequered flag in Singapore. George Russell crossed the line in P4, and Lewis Hamilton in P6.
A sad ending to an iconic partnership?
Thus far, Lewis Hamilton has had 6 WDCs, 84 wins, 78 pole positions and 152 podiums with Mercedes. His move to the Brackley-based team was heavily ridiculed and pushed as a career-ending move. However, the partnership between Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton has proven to be one of the most incredible Formula 1 has ever seen.
When Hamilton signed a contract extension with Mercedes in August last year, it came as no surprise to anyone. For a long time, Hamilton set out to end his F1 career at Mercedes and become an ambassador for them after his retirement. However, all that changed when Ferrari announced that they have signed Lewis Hamilton as a driver for them alongside Charles Leclerc for the 2025 season and beyond.
Since then, there have been quite a few signs of tension between the Mercedes team, and Lewis Hamilton. A few conspiracy theories and emails have made the rounds suggesting sabotage in the media. And with how events have unfolded at this year’s Singapore Grand Prix, more are set to make the rounds with a pattern starting to look more clear. Whether these rumours reign true or not, what does remain a fact is that the Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes chapter is coming to an end, and in a rather sad way.
The ideal way to sign off what has been an incredible chapter would be with a WDC/WCC, however, that has been far from the prospects in recent seasons.
The 2024 Formula 1 season is nearing the end, with 6 rounds to go. In a few months time, Lewis Hamilton will officially be a Scuderia Ferrari driver. How that chapter will unfold, time is yet to tell.
