F1 LIVE: Toto Wolff makes honest confession as Lewis Hamilton left fuming at…read More.
Toto Wolff makes honest confession as Lewis Hamilton left fuming at…read More.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, has openly acknowledged that the team made a strategic error that left Lewis Hamilton frustrated during the Singapore Grand Prix. Hamilton, who began the race in a strong position by qualifying third, was unable to capitalize on his promising start, ultimately finishing in sixth place. Wolff admitted that the team misread the race dynamics, resulting in a strategy that backfired and cost Hamilton a potential podium finish.
The seven-time world champion had put in one of his best qualifying performances of the season, securing third on the grid behind only Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Mercedes, however, took a gamble by opting for an aggressive tyre strategy in the hopes of gaining an early advantage. While most of the field started the race on medium compound tyres, Mercedes fitted Hamilton’s car with soft tyres. The aim was to help him overtake second-placed Max Verstappen in the early stages of the race. Unfortunately, the strategy didn’t go as planned.
Hamilton’s soft tyres quickly began to degrade due to overheating, and his early pace advantage disappeared. By lap 18, Mercedes was forced to pit him for a set of hard tyres, much earlier than many of his competitors. Hamilton expressed his frustration over team radio, repeatedly voicing concerns that the decision to pit so early was ruining his race. He felt that the team had “killed” his chances by bringing him in prematurely, as others on more conventional medium-to-hard transitions were able to overcut him.
As the race unfolded, Hamilton lost positions to several key competitors, including McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, his Mercedes teammate George Russell, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Each of these drivers managed to stay out longer on their medium tyres, allowing them to gain track position while Hamilton struggled to maintain pace on his hard tyres.
Reflecting on the outcome, Wolff took responsibility for the strategic mistake. “I think we’ve read the race wrong,” Wolff admitted after the race. He explained that the decision to start Hamilton on soft tyres was based on previous races in Singapore, where overtaking is notoriously difficult due to the tight street circuit, similar to Monaco. The team believed that the soft tyres would give Hamilton a chance to make an early move on Verstappen and gain a crucial track position. However, the reality of the situation proved different, as the rear tyre degradation on Hamilton’s car led to a drop in pace.
“That was pretty much the only overtaking opportunity,” Wolff continued. “That was the wrong decision that we all took together jointly. It felt like a good offset, but with the rear tyre degradation that we had, it was just one way—and that was backwards.”
Despite owning up to the tactical error, Wolff pointed out that Mercedes’ overall performance continues to be an issue. “It doesn’t hide away from the fact that the car is too slow,” he stated bluntly. Wolff emphasized that while the team may have made some poor choices, the bigger problem is the performance gap between Mercedes and its rivals. The Silver Arrows have struggled to match the pace of Ferrari, Red Bull, and even McLaren in recent races, highlighting the ongoing development issues with their car.
Mercedes, which had enjoyed a period of success earlier in the season with three victories in a four-race span before the summer break, has struggled since. Hamilton’s recent form has seen him unable to finish higher than fifth in his last four races. Meanwhile, George Russell has also faced challenges, managing just one podium in his last six races.
Wolff’s admission of a strategic error in Singapore underscores the team’s broader difficulties as they continue to fight for performance improvements. With the season winding down, Mercedes will need to find answers quickly if they hope to close the gap on their competitors and finish the year on a high note.
As the season progresses, the focus for Mercedes will be on improving their race pace and refining their strategic decision-making to avoid further missed opportunities like the one in Singapore.
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