Lewis Hamilton endured a frustrating Sprint Qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix, exiting in SQ1 after a costly spin. Despite Ferrari bringing upgrades to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Hamilton struggled to extract performance from his SF-25. On his opening lap, a mistake forced him to push on the final run, but a spin at the last chicane just as the chequered flag came out confirmed his 18th-place start for Saturday’s Sprint race. The visibly disappointed Brit described the incident as a “career first.”
Speaking about the moment, Hamilton confirmed rear locking had led to his spin—something he said had never happened before in his long Formula 1 career. He offered little elaboration, stating simply, “I spun.” Despite the setback, Hamilton remained hopeful, stating that although the result was far from ideal considering the team’s hard work, he was looking ahead to the next day with a more optimistic outlook.
On the other side of the Ferrari garage, Charles Leclerc fared significantly better, qualifying on the second row. However, his mood was mixed as he acknowledged a large gap to the front-runners. Leclerc expressed satisfaction with the car’s improved handling but was concerned that, despite the improvements, they remained nearly eight-tenths of a second off pole—an uncomfortably large margin on any track.
Leclerc emphasized that Ferrari needs to focus on increasing grip, as that continues to be the team’s primary shortfall. He noted that while nothing felt particularly wrong in terms of driving or strategy, the lack of grip continues to limit their ability to fight at the front. He acknowledged that there’s no quick fix, and the team needs to address this fundamental issue in their development path.
As Ferrari continues to chase performance improvements, Hamilton’s difficult session highlights the challenge of adapting to new machinery mid-season, especially with high expectations surrounding his recent move. While Leclerc’s result shows potential in the upgrades, the team clearly has more work ahead to close the gap to the top. Both drivers now turn their attention to the Sprint, hoping for redemption and progress on Saturday.
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