Hamilton And Leclerc Arrive In Singapore With Different Outlooks: Hamilton Stresses Attack, Leclerc Cautious

Ferrari enters the Singapore Grand Prix weekend with hopes of challenging at the front on the street circuit. Lewis Hamilton said he and team mate Charles Leclerc are here to attack this weekend.

The seven-time world champion arrives after a fightback in Malaysia, where the wrong tyre strategy on a wet track dropped him towards the back before he recovered to the podium. It was his first podium since the British Grand Prix in July. Speaking at Thursday’s media day, Hamilton stressed that the result did not necessarily mean Ferrari are back in the fight for victory. He said it would be wrong to claim momentum, that they had one good race and will try to build on it.

Hamilton believes Singapore should be an okay circuit for Ferrari. He noted that the sprint format makes it the most challenging weekend of the year and that the team is going through the numbers to start in the right place. He added that he has been pushing the car in a certain direction and that the team is slowly making gains. He called qualifying key and said they want to start on the front foot and attack.

Hamilton hopes the high-downforce street layout will suit Ferrari’s car, which has been quick in corners but not in a straight line. With Singapore a high-drag circuit, he hopes rivals’ advantage on long straights will shrink and that Ferrari can match them through the corners.

Leclerc was more cautious. He said Ferrari have slipped down the pecking order, with McLaren and Red Bull taking their place as Mercedes’ closest challengers in recent races. Ferrari have historically been strong at this track, he said, but they cannot rely on the past, and winning will be very difficult.