Lewis Hamilton has humorously criticized Red Bull after they decided to abandon their fan-inspired livery plans for the Singapore and USA Grands Prix due to concerns over the weight of the new paint schemes. Red Bull, aiming to involve their fans by showcasing custom liveries at key races, scrapped the idea after discovering the new designs would add around 1kg to their RB20 car—a detail the team feared could compromise performance.
This is actually unbelievable 😳😳@redbullracing CANCEL their special liveries… #F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/kcyuIUNeLF
— FormulaNerds 🤓🏁 (@Formula_Nerds) September 17, 2024
Celebrating 50 years of @Petronas with a special livery for the Singapore GP! 💚🤩 pic.twitter.com/rUSztJC4vJ
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 18, 2024
Reacting to the news, Hamilton couldn’t help but laugh at his rivals’ caution. “It’s funny to see them stressing over something as small as paint. I guess they’re worried about every little gram now,” Hamilton said with a grin. “While they’re obsessing over the paint job, we’re focused on the racing.”
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko confirmed the team’s reasoning, stating, “It’s a setback, but we have to prioritize performance. Any additional weight, even as small as 1kg, can impact lap times, and we can’t afford that in a close championship race.”
Get up close and personal with our new @Petronas green look for Singapore 🔍 pic.twitter.com/dtLRYNjfV7
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 18, 2024
While many fans were disappointed by the cancellation of the custom livery, Hamilton’s light-hearted jab added a playful dimension to the ongoing rivalry between Mercedes and Red Bull ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
With tensions rising as the race approaches, all eyes will be on the track to see if Red Bull’s cautious decision pays off.
