Lewis Hamilton recovered well after feeling unwell due to the heat at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix in Formula 1. According to reports, the seven-time champion was already feeling better after needing treatment from the FIA medical team and being cleared from taking part in the interview zone.
The discomfort occurred after the race, and the Briton needed some time to recuperate. Even though he did not attend the media area, Hamilton sent a message via Ferrari, in which he took responsibility for the strategy that contributed to his sixth place.
Hamilton explained that he opted to start on fresh medium tires to try to stretch the first stint and finish the race with just one pit stop. The choice, however, did not work as expected, as the compound performed worse than the soft tires.
“On a track where overtaking is difficult, you need to try something different, and I chose to start with fresh medium tires to execute a one-stop strategy,” Hamilton explained. He added that he regained pace in the second stint, but could not advance enough within the pack.
Another decisive moment occurred during the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period. Ferrari called Hamilton into the pits, but the Briton missed the pit-lane entrance and decided to stay on track to try to defend his position until the end.
The strategy ended up being compromised by tire wear in the final laps, when Hamilton dropped three positions and finished sixth: “I take full responsibility for the decisions I made. Not all choices will work, and I can accept when I’m wrong, but I’m very sorry for the team for the points we lost,” he added.
The seven-time champion also highlighted the Scuderia’s effort throughout the race weekend, and promised to continue working to rebound at the next stage, the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
