The extreme heat during the Singapore Grand Prix took a toll on the physical well-being of Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who were reportedly suffering from borderline heat stroke.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said the drivers’ condition was quite bad. The drivers could not attend their post-race media interviews. While the two finished strongly, Hamilton was annoyed by a specific decision that hurt him during the race, while Wolff took his time to analyze the team’s poor standing in the race.
Contesting Race for Lewis Hamilton and Russell
Russell came in fourth, a bit ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who came in sixth, but the seven-time world champion could not hide his discontent with the Mercedes team’s approach. Lewis Hamilton was forced into an early pit stop, leaving him vulnerable on worn, hard tires. Hence, he was surpassed by Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. He expressed his annoyance to his team through the radio, saying that Mercedes was “killing me with this offset.”
Heatstroke Concerns After the Race
After the race, Wolff explained that both drivers were too unwell to attend their planned media commitments. They refused to have a media conversation after the race due to the heat-up between the two racers. As they were not in a position to talk to the media. He said that
“They did not feel well, borderline heatstroke or something like that”
He said the team had doctors with them, and he reassured fans that both drivers were recovering. A Mercedes spokesperson also confirmed that He and Russell would not be speaking to the media due to the strain from the race. Wolff admitted that Mercedes’ decision to start Hamilton on soft tires was a mistake. He mentioned that
“We took a decision based on historic Singapore races where it is basically a procession, Monaco-like, and that the soft tyre would give him an opportunity at the start. That was pretty much the only overtaking opportunity. That was the wrong decision that we all took together jointly.
He acknowledged that Lewis Hamilton’s tyre degradation worsened as the race went on it certainly led to a disappointing result. Toto Wolff concluded by reflecting on Mercedes’ overall performance, noting that while fourth and sixth positions aren’t disastrous, they are not what the team expects. He highlighted the car’s struggles in hot, traction-heavy circuits like Singapore and Baku.
Final Thoughts
The Singapore Grand Prix was a challenging outing for Mercedes, not just in terms of race strategy but also because of the physical toll it took on Lewis Hamilton and Russell. While the drivers recover from the heat, Mercedes will have the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate their performance, particularly the strategic missteps that cost them valuable positions. With Wolff acknowledging that the car is underperforming, the team faces an uphill battle to regain momentum in the season’s remaining races.
