‘We had the doctors with them’ – Lewis Hamilton and George Russell suffer ‘borderline heatstroke’ at Singapore GP
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both pulled from their planned media commitments following the Singapore Grand Prix with “borderline heatstroke”.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said Hamilton, who complained about his team’s strategy after he started third and finished sixth, fell ill in the immediate aftermath of the 62-lap race.
Russell was also deemed not well enough to conduct his media duties.
The 26-year-old, on a different strategy to Hamilton, started one place behind his team-mate, but crossed the line ahead in fourth.
The media duties are obligatory for all of the drivers. However, Mercedes contacted the FIA in the immediate aftermath of the race to request a medical exemption for both of their drivers on the advice of the team’s doctors.
The race in the city state is considered one of the most demanding on the calendar such is the humidity, but the grid’s 18 other drivers all managed to fulfil their press calls.
Lando Norris, who won from pole position, did complain about feeling “dizzy” after he emerged from his McLaren cockpit.
“They did not feel well, borderline heatstroke or something like that, but they have had water,” said Wolff as he explained his drivers’ absences.
“They would not have been able to go to the [television/print] pen. There were no bad feelings or any annoyance. It is just that we had the doctors with them. But they are all good.”
A Mercedes spokesperson added: “Unfortunately neither George or Lewis will be attending the media pen this evening as they recover from the exertions of this evening’s race.”
Hamilton was later quoted in a Mercedes press release. “It is hard to describe the range of emotions you feel when we have a difficult race like that,” he said.
“This year continues to be a testing one for everyone, but we are all pushing as hard as we can. We don’t always get things right and that was the case today with our strategy.
“We all head into the weekend, and every decision we take, with the right intentions and sometimes it doesn’t work out. It can be frustrating, but we are all in this together.”
Hamilton, who has six races remaining at Mercedes before he heads to Ferrari, was the only leading contender to start on the soft tyre, and the seven-time world champion, in his 350th appearance, made the switch to the hard compound on lap 17, dropping him to 13th.
But the 39-year-old, who bumped the wall on his way into the pit-lane, was quickly on the radio to express his frustration at the decision.
“We will be in trouble later,” he said over the radio. “I am already struggling with this tyre… you are killing me with this offset (strategy), mate.”
“Something is definitely wrong with the car,” he said. Wolff was seen holding his head in his hand at the back of the garage.
To make matters worse for Hamilton, Russell emerged ahead of him after he made his sole tyre change on lap 30. Hamilton was then gazumped by Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc in the closing stages.
