Show notes
Max Verstappen made it back-to-back wins in Singapore. But Ferrari’s strategy left plenty to pick through, with Lewis Hamilton taking responsibility for his decisions and questions still hanging over how the team handled his race alongside Charles Leclerc.
This week I look at Hamilton’s early stop, why the Hard tyre wasn’t a workable option, and the time lost behind Leclerc when the two drivers were on different strategies. Then comes the lap 39 Virtual Safety Car, the missed pit stop and the communication between Hamilton and the pit wall. Could Ferrari have come away with a double podium? I explain where I think that opportunity slipped away, and what the available radio evidence can actually tell us.
There’s also McLaren’s last-lap Sprint clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, a Sprint with nine retirements, and Verstappen looking comfortable throughout the weekend. I get into Mercedes’ upgrade struggles, their development direction for 2027, the discussion around rotating front-wing devices, and why I think Liam Lawson has earned another season in the Red Bull family.
Then it’s onto Formula 1’s planned return to Africa. Rwanda’s 10-year agreement will bring the championship to a new purpose-built circuit in the early 2030s, marking the continent’s first Grand Prix since 1993. I discuss the circuit plans, local infrastructure and the questions around where the race could fit on the calendar.
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Timestamps:
00:00 Singapore debrief, Ferrari strategy and Rwanda
01:04 Red Bull’s return to winning form
02:00 FIA scrutiny of rotating front-wing devices
02:28 Mercedes’ development and setup struggles
03:54 Verstappen’s Singapore weekend
04:21 Nine retirements in the Sprint
04:48 Norris and Piastri’s last-lap clash
06:10 The Grand Prix starting order and strategy setup
07:05 Why the race felt flat
08:02 Ferrari’s different strategies for Hamilton and Leclerc
09:28 Hamilton’s early stop and the two-stop commitment
10:27 Time lost behind Leclerc
11:26 The lap 39 Virtual Safety Car and double-stack opportunity
12:50 What the available Hamilton radio tells us
14:16 Hamilton takes responsibility
15:38 Questions over Ferrari’s strategy communication
17:33 Could Ferrari have secured a double podium?
18:31 Why I think Lawson deserves another season
20:41 Mercedes engine updates and possible penalties
22:06 Rwanda’s deal and F1’s return to Africa
23:04 The planned circuit location and elevation changes
24:30 Local infrastructure and the circuit’s legacy
25:59 Where Rwanda could fit on the calendar
26:27 Closing thoughts and listener feedback
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