Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton and George Russell had been pulled from their F1 media commitments after the Singapore Grand Prix on account of struggling “borderline heatstroke”.
Russel completed fourth in Singapore, two locations forward of teammate and seven-time world champion Hamilton, who was left annoyed with Mercedes’ technique.
Hamilton began third on gentle tyres and was pressured to make an early pit cease which left him susceptible on aged arduous tyres within the second stint. He misplaced out to each Russell and future Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. The 39-year-old Briton fumed about his technique, complaining over group radio that Mercedes had been “killing me with this offset”.
Mercedes group principal Wolff insisted there have been “no dangerous emotions” or “any annoyance”, explaining his drivers merely weren’t properly sufficient to attend their deliberate media debriefs after struggling within the brutal situations.
“They didn’t really feel properly, borderline heatstroke or one thing like that however they’ve had water,” Wolff was quoted as saying by PA.
“They’d not have been capable of go to the [media] pen. There have been no dangerous emotions or any annoyance. It’s simply that we had the medical doctors with them. However they’re all good.”
A Mercedes spokesperson added: “Sadly neither George or Lewis will probably be attending the media pen this night as they get well from the exertions of this night’s race.”
Wolff admitted that opting to start out Hamilton on softs was in the end the “unsuitable resolution”.
“We took a call based mostly on historic Singapore races the place it’s principally a procession, Monaco-like, and that the gentle tyre would give him a chance initially,” he defined.
“That was just about the one overtaking alternative. That was the unsuitable resolution that all of us took collectively collectively.
“It felt like offset however with the rear tyre deg that we had it was only one approach and that was backwards. So, there was a logic behind it however clearly, it was opposite to what we must always’ve determined, but it surely doesn’t conceal away from the truth that the automobile is just too sluggish.
“It was a very painful night. It’s not about if you take a look at the positions, fourth and sixth, that isn’t good, particularly when you’re beginning third and fourth.
“The automobile… we battle for the time being at tracks which are sizzling and are robust on traction – right here and Baku. However that is no excuse.
“It’s simply for the time being not what we anticipate from ourselves as a result of in case your quickest automobile is a minute behind the chief it’s simply tough to simply accept.”
