Lewis Hamilton has spoken publicly for the first time since requiring medical assistance after the Singapore Grand Prix, issuing a statement on social media in which he took full responsibility for a strategy that failed to deliver.
The seven-time world champion skipped his post-race media duties on Sunday to attend a treatment centre at Marina Bay, with Ferrari explaining his absence in a brief statement. On Monday, Hamilton broke his silence with a message to fans.
Hamilton accepts blame for Singapore strategy
"Yesterday wasn't the result we were looking for, and that's on me," Hamilton wrote. "At a track that's difficult to overtake you need to try something different, and I chose a strategy that ultimately didn't deliver. It's a painful lesson to learn, but I take full responsibility for the decisions I made."
He added: "In this sport, not every call will work out. It's about accepting when you get it wrong and how you move forward."
Despite finishing sixth, Hamilton insisted the result did not reflect the car's potential. "P6 doesn't reflect the pace we had in the car, and despite the result there are positives to take away," he said, thanking fans in Singapore for their support and vowing to "come back fighting at the next race."
Verstappen set for new engineer as Red Bull reshuffle
Elsewhere, Max Verstappen is reportedly set to have a new race engineer for the remaining six races of the season, with Red Bull preparing for Gianpiero Lambiase's departure. Reports suggest Tom Hart will take over, with Lambiase expected to join McLaren in a senior role next year.
Verstappen, who has won back-to-back events in Bahrain and Singapore, appears to be regaining form with Red Bull. The team's reshuffle comes as the season heads into its final stretch.
