Lewis Hamilton Acknowledges Mistake in Singapore Sprint Qualifying

Lewis Hamilton has admitted to making an incorrect decision regarding the run plan during the SQ3 phase of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. This misstep occurred as Ferrari secured a 1-2 finish in the second qualifying phase, with Charles Leclerc leading and Hamilton finishing three tenths behind.

During the top-10 shootout, all teams switched from medium to soft tires as required. While McLaren and Mercedes opted to go out immediately, Red Bull waited until the end of the session. Leclerc and Hamilton chose to enter the track midway through the eight-minute session. Leclerc managed to complete two attempts, while Hamilton's single attempt placed him sixth, 0.546 seconds slower than Max Verstappen.

Hamilton noted that he felt confident during the earlier qualifying sessions but struggled with oversteering during his final lap. He expressed uncertainty about the car's rear grip, which affected his performance. Leclerc, who finished third, acknowledged the different strategies but emphasized that Ferrari has been lacking raw pace in recent races, indicating potential for improvement in future qualifying rounds.