An update has been provided on Lewis Hamilton’s health, following a gruelling Singapore Grand Prix last weekend.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion had a torrid time at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, only managing to finish sixth despite qualifying up in third.
A questionable Mercedes strategy led to the 39-year-old losing out on places later in the race, having started on soft tyres to try and get ahead of second-placed Max Verstappen at the start.
It meant that Mercedes team-mate George Russell was able to finish ahead of the Brit, with Hamilton left angered by Mercedes’ strategy choices that clearly favoured the younger driver.
Mercedes give update on drivers’ health
On top of his poor performance, Hamilton also suffered from the heat in Singapore, with temperatures of over 30 degrees present throughout the night race.
Both Hamilton and Russell cancelled their media commitments after the race, with an official Mercedes statement conceding that neither driver would be present in the media pen.
Now, Mercedes technical director James Allison has given an update on both drivers’ condition, easing fans’ concerns.
“We suffered again from a thing that has been problematic for us which is on softer rubber at tracks where tyre temperature is at a premium, where it’s very easy to overheat, we lose relative competitiveness and Singapore is at the extreme end of that experience and it was quite a difficult thing for them to manage,” Allison told the team’s race debrief on their performance in Singapore.
“And to add insult to injury, 30 degrees air temperature, 70 per cent relative humidity, it was very, very, very hot in the car and at the end of the race both of them were feeling that.
“They feel a lot better now from the heat part of it, you know. Cold ice bath and a few drinks and they bounce back relatively swiftly but the more significant thing which is caring about the pace of the car, that hurt lingers a little longer.”