Key Highlights:
- Former F1 strategist Bernie Collins pointed out a growing “lack of trust” between Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari pitwall following strategic disagreements at the Singapore Grand Prix.
- Hamilton chose to overrule a team order to pit under a Lap 40 Virtual Safety Car, extending an older set of tyres to finish sixth on a compromised one-stop strategy.
- The Singapore incident followed another strategic divergence in Malaysia, where Hamilton pushed back against switching to intermediate tyres in changing conditions.
Strategic Tensions Emerge at Ferrari Following Singapore Grand Prix
Former Formula 1 strategist and Sky Sports pundit Bernie Collins believes Lewis Hamilton is suffering from a “lack of trust” in Ferrari’s pitwall following the Singapore Grand Prix. While Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated the Marina Bay race weekend and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli continued to close in on the drivers’ championship title, Hamilton experienced a frustrating race that unravelled during a mid-race neutralisation.
Hamilton made an initial pitstop on Lap 19, putting him in a vulnerable position as tyre degradation mounted on the abrasive Singapore street circuit. An ideal opportunity for a cheaper second stop presented itself on Lap 40 when a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed after Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll stopped on track due to a clutch issue. While Ferrari instructed Hamilton to pit directly behind his team-mate Charles Leclerc, the seven-time world champion elected to stay out on track in a bid to make an alternative one-stop strategy work.
The strategic gamble failed to pay off in the final stages of the race. With rapidly deteriorating rubber, Hamilton suffered severe performance drop-off and was unable to defend his track position, eventually crossing the line in sixth place. Following the chequered flag, Hamilton apologised to the team and openly confirmed that the call to remain on track rather than pit during the VSC window had been his own.
Bernie Collins Highlights Recurring Doubts Inside the Cockpit
Evaluating the tactical breakdown on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Collins explained that a driver with Hamilton’s extensive experience does not inadvertently miss an optimal strategy window without deliberate hesitation or disagreement.
Lindblad, Colapinto and Bortoleto Handed Grid Penalties for United States Grand Prix
“Someone of Lewis’s stature doesn’t forget to do a pitstop. So let’s say it’s a decision to not take the pit entry or the call didn’t come in time or whatever. But that was crucial, I think, to the race at that point,” she explained.
Collins also noted that Singapore was not an isolated occurrence, pointing to an identical pattern of friction and second-guessing that unfolded between Hamilton and Ferrari just one race prior in Malaysia.
“Now, if we go back a week to Malaysia, we had the same sort of lack of trust for want of another word. They started on a dry tyre. Then the call came to switch to an intermediate tyre. Lewis said, ‘That’s the wrong thing. We need to stick this out now.’
“He had a discussion with the pitwall, stayed on the tyre that he was on and ultimately that ended up very similar to Leclerc towards the end of the race. However, I do think that shows more globally that Lewis isn’t trusting that Ferrari team. He’s questioning their decisions.”Advertisement
Why This Matters
The operational relationship between a driver and the pitwall is fundamental to executing winning strategies in modern Formula 1. When a driver repeatedly questions tyre strategies and rejects direct pit calls—as seen across back-to-back race weekends in Malaysia and Singapore—it exposes strategic misalignment within the team. For Ferrari, establishing clear communication and mutual faith in live data decisions will be critical if they are to optimise race outcomes and prevent points from slipping away to key championship rivals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Lewis Hamilton not pit during the Virtual Safety Car in Singapore?
Although Ferrari called Hamilton in to pit on Lap 40 after Lance Stroll stopped on track with a clutch failure, Hamilton decided to stay out in an attempt to make a one-stop strategy work to the end of the race. He later apologised to Ferrari, confirming the decision to bypass the pit entry was his own.
What happened during the previous race in Malaysia between Hamilton and Ferrari?
In Malaysia, Ferrari’s pitwall advised switching from dry tyres to intermediate tyres during changing weather. Hamilton pushed back over team radio, arguing that sticking with the current dry set was the correct call, which led to a discussion that mirrored the dynamic later observed in Singapore.
What finish did Lewis Hamilton manage after declining the second pit stop?
Hamilton struggled severely on his ageing tyres during the closing laps of the Singapore Grand Prix and finished the race in sixth place.
