The news that runs a little wide

Hamilton apologises by radio in Singapore: at the gazebo, we prefer the cardboard sign

Sixth in the Singapore Grand Prix after staying out under a virtual safety car, Lewis Hamilton apologised to Ferrari on the cool-down lap, saying the decision was his. Charles Leclerc, who pitted, finished second behind Max Verstappen.

Fabienne under a gazebo holds a cardboard pit board the wind is lifting away, squinting into the sun, with a stopwatch and thermos on the table.

PRESS RELEASE.

Fabienne Racing has taken note of events at the Singapore Grand Prix. During a virtual safety car, Ferrari had the option of calling in both its cars. Charles Leclerc followed the instruction and finished second. Lewis Hamilton stayed out, rose to second for a time, then his tyres went in the closing laps. He finished sixth, passed by Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The team salutes above all the cool-down lap. According to Formule1.nl, the driver told his team over the radio: “Sorry, guys. I let you down today with that strategy. It was my decision and because of it we lost valuable points. I’ll try to make up for it in the next race.”

“That is a message we understand,” says the team principal. “With us, communication between driver and pit wall is a cardboard sign held up from the gazebo. There is no dead zone, there is the sun in your eyes. And when Florian stays out, we call it a driver’s decision, and we back it in Monday’s press release.”

Fabienne Racing notes that, according to The Race, the information that Hamilton had been told to pit and had not done so was not broadcast, because of a radio dead zone between Ferrari and its driver, and that Frédéric Vasseur told Sky Sports the driver had missed the pit lane entry. The team does not comment on other teams’ versions. It simply points out that its technical garage, the brother-in-law’s, remains open to discussions on any antenna question.

A cardboard sign doesn’t cut out. It blows away. That is not the same procedure.

Josiane · the marshal, fictional character

“We maximised our package: one driver, one sign, one voice that carries,” concludes the team principal.

About Fabienne Racing: one driver, one kart, one Dacia, one project.

It’s true, we checked: Formule1.nl.

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Our columnists’ reactions are fictional; the facts and real quotes are sourced above.

The other angle in French

The editor-in-chief chose this one: « Josiane tient le seul angle où la zone morte devient un objet vécu, un endroit du poste qu'on évite, sans jamais trancher entre les trois versions ni nommer de fautif. Fabienne est publiable mais moins drôle ; Gérard tombe pour son accès inventé et sa pique au Raidillon. »

NathanThe Sim Racer

La grille du lundi : une radio coupée et une excuse qui passe pour Hamilton à Singapour

Au Grand Prix de Singapour, Ferrari a voulu rappeler ses deux voitures sous voiture de sécurité virtuelle ; Leclerc est rentré et a fini deuxième, Hamilton est resté en piste et a fini sixième. Selon The Race, une zone morte radio entre Ferrari et Hamilton a empêché la diffusion d'une information.

  • Funniness 3/5
  • Faithfulness 4/5
  • Voice 4/5
  • Retweet 3/5
  • Good nature 4/5

The editor-in-chief’s comment « Je ne peux même pas l'activer » et les deux setups qui plantent sont bons, mais « le réel était d'accord avec moi » et « quand je rate une entrée » rangent Nathan contre le choix du pilote, et la chute s'éteint.

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