From 18th to the Podium: Hamilton Rescues Ferrari After Slick-Tyre Gamble Backfires at Sepang
Lewis Hamilton recovered from 18th to third at Sepang after Ferrari sent both cars out on slicks on a wet track. Here is how he did it, in his own words.
Lewis Hamilton started Sunday's Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia from the front row. Within a few laps he was down in 18th place, the victim of a tyre call that went badly wrong. By the chequered flag he was back on the podium in third, in a drive that was widely praised.
The decision that went wrong
After a long rain delay at Sepang, Ferrari chose to start both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on slick tyres, betting that the track would dry quickly. McLaren made the same call for its two drivers. It did not work. The surface was still too slippery, and the slick runners had to pit for intermediates almost immediately, dropping Hamilton and Leclerc towards the back.
Hamilton later admitted he had doubts before the start. "I looked at the ground, I was like, 'it's still wet'. I went to the pit wall and I was like, 'it's still wet'," he told Sky Sports.
When he saw rivals on intermediates, he said: "My heart sank, and I was like, 'that's the race over'."
Team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the decision had been difficult, pointing to the limited view of conditions from the pit lane.
How Hamilton clawed it back
The recovery turned on a strategy call of Hamilton's own. When the first safety car came out on lap 9 for Valtteri Bottas's spin, Hamilton stayed out rather than pitting. Sky Sports reported that he correctly judged that conditions were about to improve, and he began to climb steadily through the field.
ScuderiaFans reported that he refused a pit call from the team during his charge. "We just had to stick with it... we've made the decision and live with it," Hamilton said.
By the finish he was 4.919 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen and just over two seconds behind Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc recovered to fourth, giving Ferrari a strong points haul on a day that could have been a disaster.
A double hit from the stewards, too
Ferrari's weekend also included a visit to the stewards. In Friday's second practice session, Hamilton was found to have impeded Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto while driving slowly on a cool-down lap. According to PlanetF1, the stewards gave Hamilton a warning and fined Ferrari €10,000, saying the team should have given radio warnings because it knew his right-hand mirror was damaged. The penalty did not affect Sunday's result.
What it means in the standings
The podium moved Hamilton to 214 points, third in the drivers' championship and 22 behind George Russell, who retired at Sepang. Leclerc is fourth on 191. In the constructors' table, Ferrari stands second with 405 points, well behind Mercedes on 556.
"It's a mixed emotion. On one side I'm really grateful to have got back to the podium," Hamilton said.
For Malaysian fans who had waited since 2017 to see F1 at Sepang, Hamilton's charge through the spray was one of the images of the weekend.
Key takeaways
- Ferrari started both cars on slicks on a wet track and both had to pit early.
- Hamilton fell to 18th, stayed out under the first safety car and recovered to third.
- Leclerc finished fourth, giving Ferrari a strong points haul.
- Hamilton got a warning and Ferrari a €10,000 fine for an FP2 impeding incident.
FAQ
Where did Hamilton start the Sepang race? He qualified second, alongside pole-sitter Max Verstappen.
Why did Hamilton drop to 18th? Ferrari started him on slick tyres while the track was still wet, forcing an early stop for intermediates.
Did Hamilton get a penalty at Sepang? He received a warning, and Ferrari a €10,000 fine, for impeding Gabriel Bortoleto in Friday practice. It did not affect the race result.
Sources: Sky Sports, PlanetF1, ScuderiaFans, Crash.net