Ferrari faces burning Lewis Hamilton question after Singapore GP blunder

The call made by Lewis Hamilton not to pit again in Singapore was “clearly a mistake”, according to Fred Vasseur. But does the Ferrari boss accept a driver overriding the team’s strategy?

That was the burning question put to the Frenchman, who said that despite the “outcome” being poor, he must also “respect” what the driver is feeling from the cockpit. That admission comes as Martin Brundle challenged the ability of Hamilton, or any current F1 star, to drive and dictate strategy simultaneously.

Lewis Hamilton error but Ferrari must ‘respect’ driver input

Ferrari split the strategies for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc, alongside Red Bull’s polesitter Max Verstappen, went with the red-walled soft tyres. Hamilton was on mediums.

That strategy did not pay off for the Brit, who lost ground and pitted first of the leading trio.

Moving on to softs, the seven-time world champion was expected to execute a two-stopper. He did not.

Ferrari was anticipating his arrival in the pit lane under a virtual safety car triggered by Lance Stroll’s stricken Aston Martin. Yet, Hamilton missed the pit entry and drove to the end.

He was caught and passed by Kimi Antonelli, plus the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, thus finishing sixth.

Hamilton was quick to apologise over the radio as his strategy call backfired. He further owned that error post-race in the media and online.

Ferrari pointed to Hamilton’s comments in shielding itself from blame, but team principal Vasseur was quizzed on whether he finds it okay for a driver to defy the team and make their own strategy.

“I think it was clearly a mistake when we see the outcome. It was not a good call,” Vasseur began in response to PlanetF1.com and others.

“But in the other end, quite often you are also telling us that we have to listen to the drivers because they are into the car. They have the feeling with their tyres and so.

“But I think on this one it was clear for me that I have also to respect their feeling when they are into the car.”

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While Vasseur acknowledged the weight of driver feeling, Brundle, the nine-time F1 podium finisher turned Sky F1 commentator and pundit, expressed doubt over the effectiveness of a racer trying to drive and do strategy from the cockpit.

As part of his analysis of the Hamilton incident for his Sky Sports column, Brundle wrote: “It is difficult to run a modern F1 car and manage the team’s strategy from behind the wheel, and the incident was telling. Ferrari had seemingly expected Hamilton to pit under the VSC.”

Ferrari did secure a place on the Singapore GP podium by virtue of Leclerc’s runner-up result.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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