Lewis Hamilton accepted responsibility for Ferrari’s costly strategy at the Singapore Grand Prix after finishing sixth, while Charles Leclerc admitted that the team is still not fast enough despite securing second place. The two Ferrari drivers delivered very different assessments over team radio at the end of the race.
Ferrari left Singapore with one car on the podium and the other in sixth. Charles Leclerc maximised a two-stop strategy to finish second, while Lewis Hamilton’s one-stop approach — chosen after he elected not to pit under the Virtual Safety Car — left him vulnerable in the closing stages.
Ferrari finishes Singapore with P2 and P6
Neither Ferrari was able to put Max Verstappen under serious pressure, either at the start or during the Singapore Grand Prix. The Dutchman won with relative ease, while Charles Leclerc produced a strong performance to extract the maximum from Ferrari’s two-stop strategy and finish second.
Lewis Hamilton had a more frustrating race. The seven-time World Champion opted for a one-stop strategy after choosing not to stop during the Virtual Safety Car period and eventually finished only sixth. In the closing laps, he was passed by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Ferrari nevertheless scored 26 points across the Grand Prix, compared with 22 for McLaren and 26 for Red Bull, the two teams still involved — albeit from some distance — in the fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
The result also adds another chapter to the season-long comparison between the two Ferrari drivers, which can be followed through the Charles Leclerc vs Lewis Hamilton F1 head-to-head statistics.
Charles Leclerc praises Ferrari strategy but says pace is still lacking
After crossing the line in second place, Charles Leclerc received congratulations from race engineer Bryan Bozzi.
“And P2. Well done Charles, well-driven race,” Bryan Bozzi said.
Charles Leclerc responded positively about the car and Ferrari’s strategy, but made clear that outright performance remains an issue.
“Yes, the car was good. It was a nice race, but we’re not fast enough. Great job with the strategy, it was a good call.”
The Monegasque’s assessment summed up Ferrari’s Singapore race: the strategy worked well enough to maximise the result, but the team was still unable to challenge Max Verstappen for victory.
Lewis Hamilton apologises after costly Singapore strategy
Lewis Hamilton’s post-race radio was markedly different after the British driver finished sixth.
Race engineer Carlo Santi informed him of the final result and the podium order before asking him to cool the car.
“We finished P6. Max won the race, Charles second, Kimi third. And please cool the car,” Carlo Santi said.
Lewis Hamilton then accepted responsibility for the strategy decision and apologised to the team for the points lost.
“Sorry guys, I let you down with that strategy. The decision was mine, it cost us valuable points and I’ll try to make up for it next time. Great job with the pit stop.”
Carlo Santi replied: “Understood, thanks Lewis.”
The strategy proved particularly costly because the British driver was exposed to rivals on fresher tyres late in the race. The different stint lengths and tyre choices can be explored through the F1 Tyre & Stint Analysis.
Mixed emotions for Ferrari after Singapore
Ferrari therefore leaves Singapore with a solid points haul but two contrasting outcomes. Charles Leclerc maximised the strategy available to him and secured second place, while Lewis Hamilton openly accepted responsibility for the decision that contributed to his sixth-place finish.
The positive for the Maranello team is that both cars remained competitive enough to score strongly. However, Charles Leclerc’s message was equally clear: Ferrari still needs more outright performance if it is to challenge the leading Red Bull consistently rather than simply maximise the opportunities available through strategy.
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