Hamilton Says Ferrari’s ‘Huge’ Post‑Race Talk Over Bahrain Mistake Was Needed

Lewis Hamilton has opened up about a lengthy internal debrief that Ferrari conducted after the strategic blunder at the Bahrain Grand Prix, describing the session as a "huge discussion" and insisting that the team’s performance "wasn't good enough". The British driver, who finished third in the race, believes the Italian outfit must learn from the episode if they want to compete for wins in the remaining rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 season. During the opening round in Bahrain – which was actually held at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia because of scheduling constraints – Ferrari chose to start both of its drivers, Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, on slick dry tyres despite the track being damp at the green flag. The team expected the wet surface to dry quickly once the race got underway, a gamble that proved costly.

While the intermediate‑tyre runners, who made up 14 of the 22 cars on the grid, gained a massive advantage, Hamilton slipped from his front‑row starting position to the back of the pack within a few laps. Hamilton’s recovery drive was nothing short of spectacular. He fought his way through the field, overtaking numerous rivals and eventually securing a podium finish in third place.

However, the result left him 106 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, a gap that underscores the importance of avoiding strategic missteps. In the lead‑up to the Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton stressed that Ferrari must tighten its decision‑making processes to avoid repeating the Bahrain error. "It wasn't good enough and we've had a huge discussion about it," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "We are going to work on how we can reach a better conclusion more consistently in the future." Before delving into the specifics of the internal meeting, Hamilton defended Ferrari against what he perceives as disproportionate criticism compared with other teams.

He pointed out that McLaren made the same tyre choice at Sepang, yet the British outfit escaped the same level of scrutiny. "We get far more flak than anybody else," the seven‑time world champion said. "McLaren made the same decision and no one even said anything about it. They made some excuse, but the mistake was identical." Hamilton also clarified that the blame should not fall solely on Ferrari’s strategists.

He explained that tyre selection is a collaborative decision involving the team principal, the head of track engineering, the driver, his race engineer, and the strategy crew. "The call didn't come from the strategist alone," he said.

"It comes from us working together, pooling all our information and gut feelings." He recounted his own thought process on the grid: "I went into the pit lane, I'm like, 'it's wet'. I go to the pit wall, I'm like, 'it's wet'.

Then I come back to the garage and say, 'guys, we should be on the inters'. Everyone gave a different perspective, and after hearing three different opinions I eventually went with the consensus.

That's how a team works." Hamilton admitted that sometimes the collective decision can be wrong, and a driver’s instinct may have been more accurate. "If you've got three people giving you a different perspective, you eventually get convinced by that.

But in some scenarios, it's the other way around. And you were right and your gut feeling was right.

Then you're like, 'damn, I should have gone with my gut'." Looking ahead to the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Hamilton expressed optimism that Ferrari’s car could be well‑suited to the tight, twisty layout. "Our car generally performs well on street circuits, especially when there aren't long straights," he explained. "We've been quick through the corners but not so fast on the straight line. Singapore is a high‑drag circuit, so the advantage others have on long straights should be reduced, giving us a chance to match them in the corners." He added that a stable platform is crucial, particularly over the notoriously bumpy sections of the Singapore track.

"We need a great, stable base, especially in the bumpy zones, because it's bumpy here," Hamilton said. The Singapore weekend will also be historic because it will host a Sprint race for the first time this season, meaning there will be only one free‑practice session before Sprint Qualifying on Friday. Hamilton believes that nailing a strong setup quickly will be vital.

"We've looked at Monaco, Montreal, Baku – each required a different setup. Singapore is asking for something different. I'm pushing the car in a certain direction and we are slowly making gains.

Qualifying is key, and we want to start on the right foot and then attack." Charles Leclerc echoed a similar sentiment, acknowledging that Singapore could present a realistic chance for a win, but he cautioned against taking anything for granted. After a season where Ferrari failed to meet pre‑weekend expectations in Monaco and Budapest – despite being considered favourites – the team managed surprise victories when Hamilton won in Barcelona and Leclerc triumphed at Silverstone.

When asked if Singapore was Ferrari’s best opportunity to add another win, Leclerc replied: "Maybe. The layout seems pretty good for us.

Whether it pays off or not… Budapest and Monaco looked strong on paper but didn’t work out, while Silverstone looked weak on paper and worked out. History is not a guarantee, but we’ll give our best." He also noted that the team has been losing a little performance relative to the front‑running cars, making a victory more challenging.

"We have to do everything we can to be in the best possible situation," Leclerc said. The official schedule for the Singapore Grand Prix weekend is as follows: - Friday, 9 October – 9:00 am: Practice (starts at 9:30 am); 11:30 am: Team bosses' press conference; 1:00 pm: Sprint Qualifying (starts at 1:30 pm) - Saturday, 10 October – 9:00 am: Sprint build‑up; 10:00 am: Sprint race; 1:00 pm: Qualifying build‑up; 2:00 pm: Grand Prix qualifying; 4:00 pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook - Sunday, 11 October – 11:30 am: Grand Prix build‑up; 1:00 pm: The Singapore Grand Prix; 3:00 pm: Chequered flag and post‑race reaction; 4:00 pm: Ted’s Notebook All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a contract and cancellable at any time.

Hamilton’s message is clear: Ferrari must learn from the Bahrain mistake, improve its internal decision‑making, and seize the unique opportunities that street circuits like Singapore provide if they hope to challenge for the championship in the final stretch of the season.