Hamilton’s Singapore podium bid undone by Virtual Safety Car call
Lewis Hamilton’s decision to stay out during the Virtual Safety Car in Singapore left him on worn tyres, costing him a top-three finish despite a strong weekend.
Lewis Hamilton missed out on a podium in the Singapore Grand Prix after staying out during the Virtual Safety Car period, a decision that left him struggling on worn soft tyres and saw him fall down the order.
Virtual Safety Car decision proves costly
Hamilton’s race hinged on the timing of his pit stops. He was the first of the leading drivers to stop for fresh tyres, coming off a set of mediums that had not delivered the performance he needed early in the race. When the Virtual Safety Car was deployed, Ferrari opted to keep Hamilton out rather than pit for new tyres. This left him exposed in the closing stages as his soft tyres degraded, allowing rivals to overtake and pushing him out of podium contention.
Pit stop timing and rivals
The Virtual Safety Car presented an opportunity for Ferrari to pit Hamilton at a reduced time loss, especially as he was battling Antonelli and the McLarens. By not taking this opportunity, Hamilton’s tyres faded late in the race, and he was unable to maintain position against fresher-shod competitors.
Despite a combative drive, Hamilton’s Singapore weekend was ultimately defined by the timing of his stops and the decision to stay out under the VSC, rather than any lack of pace or aggression on track.
