Lewis Hamilton apologises to Ferrari after strategy call backfires in Singapore

Lewis Hamilton apologised to his Ferrari team after overriding pit wall instructions during the Singapore Grand Prix on October 11, 2026. The BBC and The Independent reported that the seven-time world champion chose his own race strategy, which ultimately caused him to drop down the field in the closing laps. [1][4][5]

Ferrari was initially on course to finish in second and third position with drivers Charles Leclerc and Hamilton. According to the BBC, Hamilton struggled on fading tyres near the end of the race and fell back to sixth place while attempting to defend against three trailing cars. [1]

The BBC reported that Hamilton issued an apology over the team radio on his slowing-down lap, telling his crew that he let them down with the strategy call and lost valuable points. According to Yahoo Sports, the Ferrari team principal confirmed that Hamilton had deliberately ignored pit orders during the event. [1][5]

Scuderia Ferrari debuted in Formula One in 1950 and remains the only team to compete in every season of the championship. The team currently fields drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. [10]

The BBC reported that the lost points leave Kimi Antonelli in a position to potentially win the world title at the upcoming race in Austin. Il Sole 24 ORE reported that Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix, with Antonelli finishing on the podium. [1][7]