The final lap of the Singapore Grand Prix produced one of the most unusual moments of the Ferrari season, sparking rumors of a possible confrontation between Matteo Togninalli and Fred Vasseur. Lewis Hamilton, struggling with brake problems, lost over 40 seconds and was forced to cut corners just to reach the finish line. The British driver, who had been in contention for sixth place, eventually slipped to eighth after a track limits penalty and even lost the virtual position to Fernando Alonso.
The cause of Hamilton’s dramatic performance drop, as well as the general difficulties faced by the SF-25, was explained weeks later by Ferrari’s Head of Performance, Matteo Togninalli. Speaking to the media in the Austin paddock, the Italian engineer admitted that the Maranello team had adopted an overly aggressive brake management strategy in Singapore. No one officially confirmed the alleged argument with Fred Vasseur.
Togninalli clarifies Hamilton’s brake issues
“In Formula 1, it is always a balance between risk and performance at the limit,” Matteo Togninalli explained. “In Singapore, we knowingly approached qualifying and the race with a car we knew was on the edge. We were aware that the race would require careful brake management.”
“Then, due to the situation and the level of management we had to maintain, we completely ran out of brakes in the last four laps. We were a bit too aggressive, and that was a mistake. I think it is right to admit when we get things wrong.”
During the same race, Charles Leclerc had to manage his brakes from the early stages, but without the severe issues that Hamilton experienced. The Monegasque driver was able to maintain better temperature control and did not need to reduce pace in the closing laps.
“Our method was unable to predict that this choice would be too aggressive,” Matteo Togninalli added. “We need to improve our tools to anticipate what may happen. When everything is easy, you learn little. But when you are at the limit, that’s when you really learn.”
“Even in Mexico, we will need to be more mindful. I believe it is a reasonable approach, a way for the team to grow.”
Ferrari pauses car development: “Everyone is close, two tenths can make a difference”
In recent races, Ferrari has shown a slight step back compared to Red Bull and Mercedes. Max Verstappen claimed victories in Monza and Baku, while George Russell won in Singapore. Matteo Togninalli revealed that Ferrari chose to halt development on the car earlier than some rivals, preferring to focus on the 2026 project.
“As a strategic decision, we chose to stop development on the car probably before some of our main rivals,” he explained. “Looking at the gaps, we are talking about one or two tenths between P7 and P2. Everyone is very close, and stopping one package early can make a difference.”
This admission reflects Ferrari’s honesty and self-criticism, demonstrating the team’s willingness to learn from its mistakes, while the fight at the front of the grid becomes increasingly tight and the margins for improvement ever narrower.
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