During up on his criticism of Mercedes during the Singapore Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has now changed his mind.Mercedes unexpectedly chose to start Hamilton on the faster but less resilient soft tires after Hamilton qualified an outstanding third behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, the two leading contenders for the championship.
It was anticipated that his increased grip at the beginning of the race would enable him to put pressure on the leading two.However, after the seven-time world champion failed to make early inroads, it became quickly obvious that the strategy would not work, with Hamilton dropping to sixth by the finish.
Teammate George Russell, who started on mediums like the rest of the frontrunners, came home fourth.The 39-year-old, who will leave for Ferrari at the end of the season, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the team for the decision. Speaking at a sponsors’ event after the race, Hamilton admitted he had been left “perplexed” and “so angry” after seeing the gamble fail to pay off.
Mercedes have themselves admitted they got it wrong, with technical director James Allison calling it a “clear mistake”. And now Hamilton has rowed back on his criticism of the team in a supportive post on Instagram, which read: “I know there has been a lot of chat around the last one and our strategy in Singapore which just didn’t work. When that happens, it’s naturally to be frustrated and easy for me to speak out in frustration.
Nevertheless, it was soon apparent that the plan would not succeed as the seven-time world champion was unable to gain ground early on, and Hamilton dropped to sixth place by the finish. George Russell, a teammate who began the race on mediums just like the other leaders, finished fourth.
The 39-year-old, who will complete his career with Ferrari, wasn’t shy about criticizing the team for their choice. After the race, Hamilton spoke at a sponsors’ gathering and said he was “perplexed” and “so angry” that the bet had not paid off.Mercedes has acknowledged that they made a mistake, with technical director James Allison referring to it as a “clear mistake.”
We knew starting on the soft tyre was bold and risky move but one that could give us an advantage and ultimately I agreed with that recommendation. We also miscalculated what others might do.”Hamilton added: “Make no mistake though, things are cool with the team.
As with all successful partnerships, you have to have some lows to have the highs.We’re not afraid of those tricky conversations and challenging moments which is why we have achieved so much together. We will support each other to the very end. It’s all love.”The loving post came as a surprise to some F1 fans while others praised the British driver.
One posted on X: “LH is just too good a leader which is one of the key reasons for his success with Mercedes in F1.”We were aware that beginning on the soft tire would be a daring and dangerous move, but it would also provide us with an edge, so in the end, I supported that suggestion.
Additionally, we misjudged what other people may do.”Make no mistake, though, things are cool with the team,” Hamilton continued. Like in any good relationship, there will always be low points before there are high points.Because we don’t shy away from difficult talks and difficult situations, our team has accomplished a lot together.
We’ll stick with one another through thick and thin. Everything is love.Some Formula One fans were taken aback by the heartfelt tweet, while others complimented the British driver.