Lewis Hamilton was left to rue a strategic misstep after having to settle for a disappointing sixth-place finish at the end of sprint qualifying in Singapore. The seven-time world champion openly shouldered the responsibility for a choice that ultimately derailed his momentum at the Marina Bay Circuit.
The British driver had looked firmly in contention during the earlier phases of the session, showing strong pace in Q1 and Q2. However, the tables turned dramatically in SQ3, leaving him outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured a strong third position on the grid.
In a tactical deviation from the majority of the field, Hamilton opted to set an early lap time in SQ3 rather than waiting for the dying moments of the session when track evolution offered peak grip conditions. It was a gamble that ultimately backfired.
"It was looking good in Q1 and Q2, and then I don't really know where it went away," Hamilton reflected on his performance. "We did a slightly different run plan to the others. It was my choice, and I think I got that wrong."
Beyond the timing of his run, the switch to soft compound tyres introduced unexpected handling imbalances. Hamilton admitted he felt significantly more comfortable and confident on the medium tyres during the opening segments of the knockout qualifying.
"But ultimately, just the car was very oversteery on that lap," he explained. "I don't know if the rears were not ready or if they're overheating. It was difficult to say, but it was very, very snappy, oversteery, and it just wasn't a good lap overall."
The Ferrari driver noted that while the soft rubber provided immense front-end grip, it completely lacked rear stability, rendering the car unpredictable when it mattered most. Despite the setback, the data gathered provides vital insight for the main battles ahead.
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