Hamilton explains Mercedes failure at Singapore GP and wants to make changes

Lewis Hamilton expresses frustration with his qualifying position after narrowly missing out on second place in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton expressed his frustration after the Singapore Grand Prix as he narrowly missed out on second place to Lando Norris. Hamilton and his teammate George Russell made a late pit stop for fresh tires, which left them behind Charles Leclerc, Norris, and Carlos Sainz. Despite being on faster tires, Hamilton and Russell were unable to overtake Norris and Sainz, with Hamilton attributing the tight streets of Singapore as a hindrance. He settled for third place.

Reflecting on the race, Hamilton acknowledged the team's decision to take the risk of pitting for fresh tires in order to have a chance at victory. He praised the team's performance and expressed his enjoyment in hunting down his competitors. However, he highlighted the difficulty of overtaking on the Singapore circuit and noted that a significant time gap is required to successfully pass another car. Hamilton also mentioned that their tires dropped off significantly in their pursuit to close the gap.

Sainz's victory in Singapore marked the end of Red Bull's dominance this season. Despite being on the podium, Hamilton felt that it was a missed opportunity for Mercedes. The team has not won a race since their one-two finish in Brazil last year, and Hamilton, who has not won in almost two years, believed that a better qualifying performance would have given him a better chance at victory.

Hamilton acknowledged that his fifth-place qualifying position put him at a disadvantage with too many rivals to overtake. He demanded more from himself for future races and recognized the importance of qualifying higher to work better as a team. He expressed gratitude for the hard work of the team, including the pit crew, and believed that they are making progress and need to continue working hard.