Lewis Hamilton has expressed determination to deliver a strong performance at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, aiming to build on his recent pace demonstrated at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. Despite a challenging race in Malaysia marked by a strategic error involving tyre selection, the seven-time world champion secured a podium finish, climbing from as low as 18th place to third.

Hamilton defended his Ferrari strategy team, which faced criticism after the decision to fit him with slick tyres on a still-wet track—a move that may have cost him a chance at victory. The driver clarified that the tyre choice was made collectively by the team rather than by the strategists alone. “The call didn’t come from the strategist. The call comes from collectively, us working together,” Hamilton explained. He added that although he had advised the team to opt for intermediate tyres, the consensus overruled his suggestion. “You hope three people are more right than one. But in some scenarios, it’s the other way around,” he said, acknowledging the complex nature of in-race decisions.

Looking ahead to the Marina Bay circuit, Hamilton expressed optimism about his car’s suitability for the street circuit, highlighting its generally strong performance on venues with short straights. He pointed out the high aerodynamic drag of the Singapore track and hopes this will help balance the advantage other cars gain on longer straights. “We’re here to attack. Qualifying is key, and it would be really great if we could start on the right foot and then just be attacking in qualifying,” Hamilton said.

Meanwhile, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell faces ongoing difficulties with his power unit, which forced him into another grid penalty for Singapore. After a recent failure during the Malaysian Grand Prix, Russell is required to install a new engine component ahead of schedule. Mercedes had initially planned to introduce an upgraded engine at the upcoming Austin race in two weeks, but current circumstances have accelerated this timeline.

Russell acknowledged the challenges this situation presents, especially given Singapore’s reputation as one of the most difficult circuits for overtaking. “You get four engines a season... so I will be taking another penalty,” he explained. “The plan was always to go in Austin, and obviously Singapore is the second hardest track to overtake on the calendar. So you would never choose to do it here.” He also revealed that due to the team’s ongoing work to resolve issues with their recent upgrades, he will run an older specification of his car in Singapore.

With seven races remaining in the season, Russell trails championship leader and teammate Kimi Antonelli by 84 points, making these technical setbacks a significant factor in his title aspirations. The Mercedes team continues to focus on reliability and performance improvements as they navigate the final stages of the Formula 1 campaign.