Lewis Hamilton has taken to social media to express his regrets and offer an apology to Ferrari following what he described as a "painful lesson" during the Singapore Grand Prix. Hamilton made a critical decision to override Ferrari's strategy, opting not to pit for fresh tires during a Virtual Safety Car period, which left him vulnerable toward the end of the race.

As a result, he was overtaken by teammate Charles Leclerc, who did pit during the VSC, and subsequently lost positions to Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes, and Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from McLaren, ultimately finishing in sixth place.

Hamilton, who was excused from media duties due to feeling unwell after the race, released a statement via Ferrari and later reiterated his sentiments on Instagram:

Yesterday wasn't the result we were looking for, and that's on me. It's a painful lesson to learn, but I take full responsibility for the decisions I made. P6 doesn't reflect the pace we had in the car over the weekend. Massive thanks to the fans in Singapore for the energy.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur commented on Hamilton's strategy decision, emphasizing that while it was a mistake, drivers often have to rely on their instincts regarding tire performance. He stated, "It was clearly a mistake when you see the outcome, it was not a good call."

Despite the challenges, Vasseur noted that Ferrari aimed to compete closely with Max Verstappen and acknowledged the tight competition among the top teams. He highlighted that with four teams within two tenths of a second, any upgrades could significantly alter the standings.