The Singapore F1 Grand Prix, set against the backdrop of the city’s glittering skyline, is a race that demands more than just speed. As a street circuit, Singapore is a track that is notoriously difficult to overtake on, and where track position is king. Mercedes, through their decision, took only 15 points away from Singapore instead of the 30 they had on the table earlier in the race. Whilst everyone celebrated a fun finale, ultimately, it was poor race strategy by Mercedes and leaves them perilously close to falling into 3^rd place should Ferrari continue to gain form.

This year, the iconic street circuit witnessed a refreshing change to the run of form, with Ferrari taking the WIN through Carlos Sainz, ending Red Bull’s prolific record breaking run of race wins. As always, Mercedes were there to show that, if possible, they’ll choose the hardest in race strategy, and, ultimately pay the price in points and car repairs.

With Carlos Sainz having qualified in pole, the race was unfolding as one would largely expect. Sainz was leading the pack, and Russell had gained over Leclerc during the first pit stops during a safety car window to be sat in 2^nd place.  

However, the deployment of the virtual safety car around 16 laps from the finish tempted Mercedes to try something different. Russell wanted to go for the win and didn’t feel he had the pace on his current tyres. As a one stop race, Sainz didn’t need to pit again. Ultimately, Russell (and Mercedes) gave up a solid (and safe) 2^nd place to pit Russell, and ended up crashing on the final lap whilst trailing Norris in 3^rd, having failed to get past Norris for several laps.

When Mercedes pitted Russell, they also chose to pit Hamilton, probably to avoid an argument later when they came together. Mercedes gave up 2^nd and 4^th on a street circuit to give their drivers around 15 seconds to make up on the leaders, leaving them in 4^th and 5^th all in the hope of taking a win.

Whilst they made good time in the free air, and only lost one lap to get past a struggling Leclerc on old tyres, it was always going to be REALLY tight. Mercedes, whose “data” told them they could win (probably assuming no race cars get in their way), didn’t account for two determined and wiley drivers in Sainz and Norris who would use their cars and the difficulties of the street circuit to hold Russell and Hamilton at bay.

Hamilton look racier than Russell from the 2^nd pit stop, taking fastest lap of the race.

By pitting for a 2^nd time, Mercedes made a bold move, one that promised a thrilling finish (so thank you Mercedes for an exciting end to the race). Ultimately, it was all wasted effort, except for Hamilton, who gained a greater points advantage in the driver standings over Russell and a free podium finish.

Whilst Hamilton’s podium finish was more a result of Russell’s misfortune than Mercedes’ strategy, in essence, Mercedes traded a safe looking 2^nd & 4^th  finish for a shot at victory and ended up with just a 3^rd place to show for it. The decision to work harder, to chase the win rather than consolidate their position, cost them valuable points.

Ferrari, on the other hand, showcased a masterclass in race strategy for a race win, sacrificing Leclerc early in the race to help protect Sainz in the pit stop window (much to Leclerc’s frustration.

Sainz’s earnt his victory, it was not just a testament to his driving skills but also to Ferrari’s ability to think on their feet and adapt to changing race conditions. This last sentence is an unusual one to make of Ferrari. Their strategy was a blend of data-driven decisions and the “human hunch”, something that Mercedes seemed to overlook, and that normally, Red Bull seem to get right all day long.

It’s worth noting the refreshing change in the race dynamics with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull performing poorly in qualifying and offering a break from their recent dominance. The safety car, usually a boon for Red Bull, turned out to be a bane, disrupting their race strategy.

In the end, the Singapore Grand Prix served as a reminder that in Formula One, working smarter often trumps working harder. Mercedes, with their legacy and track record, surely knows this. But at the heat of the moment, they so often choose HARDER not SMARTER. As the F1 circus moves to Suzuka, we can only hope that teams take the lessons from Singapore to heart. After all, in a sport where every point counts, there’s no room for errors, especially unforced ones.

#F1Singapore, #MercedesStrategy, #FerrariTriumph