‘It Was a Mistake’: Vasseur Admits Ferrari Cost Hamilton His Own Podium in Singapore
Fred Vasseur didn’t dress it up — Lewis Hamilton’s call to stay out under the Virtual Safety Car in Singapore cost him a podium, and the Ferrari boss said so plainly: “I think it was a mistake overall.” The plan had been for both drivers to pit under the VSC; Charles Leclerc did, Hamilton didn’t.
Until that point, the weekend had been running Ferrari’s way: a 2-3 in the sprint, a swapped qualifying result, and a strong softs start for Leclerc on Sunday while Hamilton struggled on mediums. Leclerc built enough of a gap to pit without losing position to his teammate, while Hamilton was told to manage his tyre wear — an instruction he wasn’t thrilled about.
When the VSC arrived, Ferrari offered Hamilton a double stop. He turned it down, stayed on his worn tyres, and watched his pace collapse as Antonelli and both McLarens went by. He finished sixth instead of adding a seventh podium to his season tally. Vasseur told Sky Sports F1 that Hamilton had “missed the pit entry,” calling it “a bit of a shame,” though he rated the team’s overall weekend as “okay” with eyes already on Austin. Hamilton, for his part, wasn’t looking for excuses: “Sorry boys, I let you down with that strategy,” he said over the radio.
Source: Formula1.com (https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/it-was-a-mistake-vasseur-reacts-to-hamiltons-strategy-call-that-lost-a-podium-in-singapore.7FetC3ZueATDEKBKuuy4V)
