Ferrari’s Singapore weekend was full of problems. Team Principal Fred Vasseur admitted the team “didn’t extract the best from the car.” Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled with brake overheating early in the 62-lap race. The issues appeared as early as Lap 2 and never fully improved.
Leclerc finished sixth while Hamilton came eighth after severe braking issues in the closing laps. Hamilton also got a post-race penalty for cutting corners as his brakes gave out. Vasseur explained that the problem was not just about raw pace but also about finding the right braking points. Drivers had to adjust constantly to keep the car safe, which hurt their rhythm and overall performance.
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Brake issues dominated the race, not the drivers
Vasseur said both cars were struggling from the start. “Very early in the race we asked Charles to do a lift and coast,” he said. “It’s not just about losing a bit at the end of the straight. You need to find the right braking point. You lose more on reference points than on pure potential.”
Both drivers had shown promising pace in Friday practice, but qualifying left them on the back foot. Hamilton started P6 and Leclerc P7, which meant they had to fight through traffic and manage the brakes carefully from the start. The Singapore circuit is tough on brakes, and Ferrari’s struggles show how even top teams can struggle under pressure.
Friday promise, Saturday disappointment, Sunday Tragedy
As in previous races, Ferrari looked strong in practice but faltered in qualifying. Vasseur said, “The last two weekends, Baku and Singapore, we had the pace at the beginning of the weekend. We didn’t extract the best from the car.”
The team ran identical lap times in Q1 and Q3, showing a lack of progress through the weekend. This pattern has left Ferrari frustrated, as their drivers put in strong early sessions only to be limited by technical problems. Brake overheating meant the team could not push fully in key moments, and both drivers had to manage the issue throughout the race.
Hamilton’s fastest lap offered little comfort
Hamilton briefly set the fastest lap near the end of the race after a second pit stop for fresh soft tires. Vasseur called it “a fake fastest lap” since the tire advantage made the pace misleading. “When he was pushing, the pace was there, but the gap with the cars in front reflected the tire delta,” he said. The statement highlights how even small moments of speed could not offset the braking problems and mid-race compromises.
Leclerc and Hamilton both had to adjust braking balance constantly. The team found itself on the back foot, forcing the drivers to make compromises at corners and during overtakes. Ferrari’s engineers worked hard, but the constraints of the brakes meant there was only so much they could do.
