SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - OCTOBER 10: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia

What really cost Lewis Hamilton a podium in Singapore?

Former F1 DriverJolyon Palmer

Lewis Hamilton had a battling weekend in Singapore, but it amounted to little in the Grand Prix, after his decision to stay out at the Virtual Safety Car left him floundering with worn soft tyres, dropping down the order.

It looked a staggering call for Ferrari to leave Lewis out at that phase of the race, because it seemed inevitable that he’d need another stop, having been the first frontrunner to pit off a medium tyre that wasn’t performing very well at the start.

Pitting under the VSC was the opportune moment Ferrari needed to make the pit stop at a reduced cost in his battle with Antonelli and the McLarens.