2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Spoutnik]

Imagine they thought gaining positions at the start would be likely at Singapore, with such a short run to turn one. Even Lando was able to keep the lead after lap 1 starting from pole for the first time ever. And to think even new softs would not last enough to make it a half decent strategy choice. But no they put him on used softs. Sorry it smells like sabotage to me.

Honestly soft were probably a better tyre than hard
The issue is clearly the strategy
The commitment to clear the way for Russell thinking Hamilton was holding him which was absolutely not the case

Anyway Lewis knew these shift before us and that's why he left for Ferrari

Good riddance
Russell think he's the man but he will be replaced as soon as possible

[ToffeeTyres]

Total sabotage so obvious now that was ridiculous

[Tvetovnato]

It could only work if the race was a carbon copy of last year, ie driving slowly to not open an undercut attempt. With a straight race like this it was always gonna end in a disaster…

[Hammerfist]

Imagine they thought gaining positions at the start would be likely at Singapore, with such a short run to turn one. Even Lando was able to keep the lead after lap 1 starting from pole for the first time ever. And to think even new softs would not last enough to make it a half decent strategy choice. But no they put him on used softs. Sorry it smells like sabotage to me.

They didn't have fresh softs i'm sure.

The one thing that went wrong was removing him from the front of Russell that early, that soft was still doing ok and it's not like Russell would do much against Verstappen.

I know they didn’t have new softs. I’m saying even new softs would not have made sense.

And I’m pretty sure he was holding up Russell. Russell fell back 2 seconds to protect his tires. After he pitted Russell was almost matching Max. Had Hamilton started on mediums I’m sure he would have threatened Max more.

[Quantum]

This race has to be omitted from the Mercedes team battle. The team absolutely screwed Lewis out of this one! What a clownish display... Softs! Did they expect him to jump two of the fastest cars and hold them behind for 30 laps?! Crazy.

I doubted it, but now I'm firmly in the camp that Mercedes are leaning the table towards George over Lewis each race.

Was Hamilton part of the decision process for softs? If so, he owns this.

[SKYnRacing24]

Just a reminder but someones being payed 40k plus to green light Strategies like that lool Absolute joke of a strategy. Couldn't of started him on hards/mediums no? The fact they gambled on a position change off the grid and a possible safety car is why this team can't be serious with Hamilton and certain sabotage talks will be made again. Russell made a great defence against Leclerc.

[214270]

I don’t mind the S start personally, I don’t think that in itself was the problem - it was unnecessarily aggressive maybe but doable. It’s the very early stop that was the undoing; HAM looked comfortable holding a steady lead over PIA & RUS in that 1st stint. Either way, race pace seemed the worst out of the top 4. Hopefully, the Austin updates bring performance.

Of course. Hamilton managed the tyres quite well. He was not holding Russell or Piastri. Russell doing politics as usual whine on the radio to pretend the opposite

Yup, it didn’t look like he reached any sort of cliff - it stayed at 1.8 I think in the run up. He was at a pace consistent with extending the stint to something close to the M runners. Instead, they pit him into traffic and gave the clear air to PIA & RUS.

[mendis]

This race has to be omitted from the Mercedes team battle. The team absolutely screwed Lewis out of this one! What a clownish display... Softs! Did they expect him to jump two of the fastest cars and hold them behind for 30 laps?! Crazy.

I doubted it, but now I'm firmly in the camp that Mercedes are leaning the table towards George over Lewis each race.

Was Hamilton part of the decision process for softs? If so, he owns this.

I wouldn't expect team to come out openly about it.

[mkay]

Imagine they thought gaining positions at the start would be likely at Singapore, with such a short run to turn one. Even Lando was able to keep the lead after lap 1 starting from pole for the first time ever. And to think even new softs would not last enough to make it a half decent strategy choice. But no they put him on used softs. Sorry it smells like sabotage to me.

They didn't have fresh softs i'm sure.

The one thing that went wrong was removing him from the front of Russell that early, that soft was still doing ok and it's not like Russell would do much against Verstappen.

Hamilton was hitting the cliff on those softs. His laptimes were edging into the 1:39s. He would have started to lose time against the HUL-ALO-LEC train.

[PlatinumZealot]

Hamilton has faith in the strategists who are handsomely paid to give him the best chance of taking maximum points. Lewis is definitely not a guy who tries to swing strategies to any great extent. He might complain after the fact, but he rarely impresses his own strat ideas onto Bono and team. Today was one of those times where he should have questioned them the moment they come up with that shyte idea.

[mendis]

I don’t mind the S start personally, I don’t think that in itself was the problem - it was unnecessarily aggressive maybe but doable. It’s the very early stop that was the undoing; HAM looked comfortable holding a steady lead over PIA & RUS in that 1st stint. Either way, race pace seemed the worst out of the top 4. Hopefully, the Austin updates bring performance.

Of course. Hamilton managed the tyres quite well. He was not holding Russell or Piastri. Russell doing politics as usual whine on the radio to pretend the opposite

Yup, it didn’t look like he reached any sort of cliff - it stayed at 1.8 I think in the run up. He was at a pace consistent with extending the stint to something close to the M runners. Instead, they pit him into traffic and gave the clear air to PIA & RUS.

It appears as if Ham realized after 1st corner that he has no chance of chasing Max and Lando, so he decided to simply cruise as he knew his softs won't last long. Russell was stuck behind him as it's not possible to overtake early in the race, hoping Ham would push, which he never did. As he simply didn't have any pace later in the stint and blocking Russsell, he had to be pulled in. That slow first stint probably helped Leclerc!

[Hammerfist]

It could only work if the race was a carbon copy of last year, ie driving slowly to not open an undercut attempt. With a straight race like this it was always gonna end in a disaster…

Yeah that’s a good point. Maybe they thought Lando or whoever was in the lead was going to drive way off the pace and they could survive on softs. Honestly I thought it would play out like that too and I was wrong. I can understand their mistake more now.

[PlatinumZealot]

Hams rears were overheating trying to keep pace in the first four laps.. Game was over the moment he didn't get that pipe dream P1 out of the first corner lol

[Lasssept]

Well..

[Quantum]

This race has to be omitted from the Mercedes team battle. The team absolutely screwed Lewis out of this one! What a clownish display... Softs! Did they expect him to jump two of the fastest cars and hold them behind for 30 laps?! Crazy.

I doubted it, but now I'm firmly in the camp that Mercedes are leaning the table towards George over Lewis each race.

Was Hamilton part of the decision process for softs? If so, he owns this.

I wouldn't expect team to come out openly about it.

They do every race on the post race vids. If it's a "we decided" thing, then everyone carries the can.
Lewis is part of the process for his race strategies.

What I would be more concerned about if I was a Lewis fan, is Carlos being told to move over for Leclerc.
The clock is ticking to that that ticking time bomb next year.