Mercedes admit to "wrong decision" that left Hamilton dejected in Singapore

All drivers in the top 13 grid slots started on the medium compound tyre, apart from Hamilton. The British driver impressed in qualifying with lap time good enough to secure P3 on the grid. The seven-time World Champion had his teammate alongside him as they looked to target Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. But in the race, Hamilton only went backwards. 

What went wrong for Lewis Hamilton in Singapore?

Hamilton has just six Grand Prix weekends remaining with Mercedes. He will join Fred Vasseur's Ferrari team next season. Ahead of Singapore, Wolff warned Mercedes don't have many good races left in 2024 due to the circuit characteristics at the upcoming races. Singapore wasn't expected to be a positive result but a P3 in qualifying might've lifted expectations.

When Sunday's chequered flag dropped, Hamilton was behind his teammate Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Over the team radio, a dejected Hamilton said: "sometimes I wonder why I do this." After the race, Wolff explained what went wrong.

"We read the race wrong. We took a decision based on historic Singapore races, where it was basically a procession like Monaco. [We thought] the soft tyre would give a good opportunity at the start. It was pretty much the only overtaking opportunity. And that was the wrong decision that we all took together jointly," Wolff said.

"It felt like a good offset. But with the rear tyre deg, there was only one way and that was backwards. There was a logic behind it, but obviously it was contrary of what we should have decided. But it doesn't hide away from the fact that when a car is too slow, you're just slow. Maybe a position ahead or behind doesn't change anything," Wolff concluded.