Hamilton needs medical attention after strategy error costs him podium at Singapore GP

Lewis Hamilton required medical attention from the FIA’s trackside doctors after the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay on Sunday, with Ferrari confirming the seven-time world champion felt unwell after climbing out of his SF-26 following a gruelling 62-lap race in extreme heat and humidity.

A Ferrari spokesperson confirmed Hamilton was examined by the FIA medical team and, as a result, was formally excused from his mandatory post-race media obligations — a rare exemption that underlined the severity of his physical condition. RacingNews365 also verified the team’s statement, noting that the demands of the Marina Bay Street Circuit had forced Hamilton to be checked over by track doctors.

The physical toll was made significantly worse by a strategic error of Hamilton’s own making. During a late virtual safety car period, Hamilton ignored a pit call from the Ferrari pitwall, choosing to stay out on heavily degraded tyres. The decision proved costly: stripped of grip in the closing stages, he was powerless to hold position and was passed by Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Having run comfortably in the podium places for much of the race, Hamilton ultimately finished sixth.

It is not the first time Singapore’s oppressive climate has taken a physical toll on the 40-year-old. During the 2024 race, Hamilton and his then-Mercedes team-mate George Russell both felt severely unwell after the chequered flag at the same circuit, suggesting the combination of heat, humidity, and the stop-start nature of the street layout places an unusually high physical burden on drivers.

For Hamilton, now in his debut season with Ferrari, the result represents a missed opportunity. The SF-26 had shown enough pace to challenge for a podium, making the strategic miscommunication — and its physical aftermath — all the more frustrating for the Scuderia.