Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff admitted the team got the strategy wrong for Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.
Hamilton started the Singapore GP in third place with Mercedes electing to fit Softs to his W15 for lights out.
The theory was that with overtaking tricky at the Marina Bay Circuit, Hamilton could make moves on the opening laps and hold track positions.
This didn’t come to pass and Hamilton was instead forced to pit earlier than his rivals, getting undercut and slipping to sixth.
“I think we’ve read the race wrong,” Wolff admitted.
“We took a decision based on historic Singapore races where it’s basically a procession like Monaco, and that the soft tyre would give him an opportunity at the start as pretty much the only overtaking opportunity.
“That was the wrong decision that we all took together jointly.
“Felt like a good offset, but with the rear tyre deg that we had, there was just one way, and that was backwards.
“So I think there was a logic behind it, but obviously 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 too slow.
“Maybe your position ahead or behind, that doesn’t change anything.”
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton endure ‘really painful’ Singapore GP
Hamilton pitted for Hards on Lap 18 of 62 with George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc pitting far later.
Russel qualified fourth, Piastri fifth and Leclerc ninth and all three started on the medium tyre.
That proved vital and the trio all surpassed Hamilton in the final stint of the Grand Prix with Russell also losing out to Piastri to finish fourth.
“It was a really painful, painful evening,” Wolff exclaimed.
“It’s not about when you look at the positions. You know, fourth and sixth.
“That’s not good, especially when you’re starting second and third.
“The car is just….we struggle at the moment with tracks that are hot and tough on traction. It was here, it was Baku, but this is no excuse.
“I think it’s just at the moment not what we expect from ourselves. Because if your quickest car is a minute behind the leader it’s just difficult to accept.
Mercedes’ performances after the summer break have been a far cry from where the team was prior.
Heading into the summer stoppage, Mercedes had won three of the last four races, but that pace has deserted the team since.
The Silver Arrows has been winless since F1 returned to action in August at the Dutch GP.
READ MORE: F1 2024 Singapore Grand Prix – Race Results
