Hamilton hails strong start after wet Singapore Sprint

From sixth on the grid, Hamilton surged to third on the opening lap of Singapore’s wet Sprint, passing both McLarens and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. George Russell’s crash then lifted him to second. “I had a mega start which is awesome,” Hamilton said, adding that he loves driving the track in the rain.

Hamilton tried to close on Max Verstappen without exhausting his tyres, but eased off because he judged overtaking unlikely in conditions with only one line. He said the right side began to overheat a little; he later regained control, pushed towards the finish and closed the gap. Verstappen finished 2.5 seconds ahead.

Charles Leclerc finished third but was less satisfied, saying he struggled from mid-race as the circuit dried and his intermediate tyres gave him trouble. Ahead of Grand Prix qualifying later on Saturday, Hamilton said Ferrari could put pressure on Mercedes and Red Bull if it qualified both cars higher.