Hamilton apologises for Singapore strategy call as Antonelli extends championship lead

Lewis Hamilton apologised to Ferrari after a strategy decision left him sixth in the Singapore Grand Prix, while Kimi Antonelli moved closer to his first Formula 1 championship. BBC Sport reported that Ferrari had been heading for second and third with Charles Leclerc and Hamilton before Hamilton lost three positions in the closing laps as his tyres deteriorated.

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Ferrari called both drivers into the pits during a mid-race virtual safety car. Leclerc stopped, but Hamilton stayed on track. In a statement released by Ferrari and reported by the BBC, Hamilton explained that he had missed the pit entry when the call came and then chosen to continue, hoping to preserve his position until the finish. He accepted responsibility for the decision and the points the team lost.

Hamilton had started on a new medium-compound tyre with the intention of extending his opening stint and attempting a one-stop race. That plan changed when the medium did not perform as well as the soft, prompting an earlier stop than intended. His pace improved during the second stint, but the subsequent decision to stay out left him struggling with tyre degradation at the end.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur confirmed that both drivers had been asked to stop. He acknowledged Hamilton’s mistake but said the team needed to move forward. Earlier in the race, Ferrari had also elected not to swap its drivers when Hamilton was following Leclerc closely. Vasseur said that decision reflected Leclerc having stopped six laps later than his team-mate.

Max Verstappen won ahead of Leclerc and Antonelli, with the Mercedes driver extending his championship lead to 102 points over George Russell and 111 over Hamilton. Russell finished ninth after starting at the back of the grid. Verstappen’s victory was his first Singapore Grand Prix win and his second consecutive grand prix success, continuing Red Bull’s recovery after a difficult opening to the season.

According to the BBC’s championship calculation, Antonelli could secure the title in Austin on 25 October by winning with Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower. The report also noted uncertainty over the remaining calendar, with the scheduled Qatar and Abu Dhabi races dependent on conditions in the Middle East. Antonelli said he recognised how close the title was but remained focused on delivering his own performance.