Lewis Hamilton causes Belgian Grand Prix DELAY after…read more
Lewis Hamilton was at the center of an unexpected delay during sprint qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix after a dramatic spin at the final corner of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The seven-time world champion, now racing for Ferrari in his debut season with the Italian outfit, was on a strong final flying lap in SQ1 when disaster struck. Although he was on course to better the lap time of 15th-placed Alex Albon, a sudden loss of control sent Hamilton into a high-speed spin and off into the gravel.
The incident not only ended his qualifying session but also had wider consequences for the remainder of the sprint shootout. As Hamilton’s car kicked up a significant amount of gravel across the track, marshals were forced to intervene and clean up the affected area before the start of SQ2. The gravel cleanup operation resulted in a delay of about five minutes, temporarily halting the progression of qualifying.
This was the second such delay in the session, following an earlier off-track excursion by Hamilton’s Mercedes successor, Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian also ran into trouble during SQ1, sliding off at a different section of the circuit and spreading more gravel across the track. As a result, track officials were kept busy clearing multiple areas to ensure safe conditions for the rest of the session.
For Hamilton, the spin was a bitter blow during what has already been a challenging 2025 season. Having made a high-profile switch to Ferrari, hopes were high that the team’s latest upgrades—debuted at Spa—would help improve their competitiveness. Early signs during practice and the start of qualifying were encouraging, with Hamilton showing promising pace. However, his spin at such a crucial moment meant he failed to progress beyond SQ1 and will now start Saturday’s sprint race from 18th on the grid.
The setback highlights the tough transition the British driver is facing at Ferrari. Although the car appeared to have top-10 potential, Hamilton’s unforced error proved costly. Meanwhile, Antonelli fared even worse. The rookie failed to register a lap time faster than any of his rivals, relegating him to the very back of the grid unless penalties promote him up the order.
Despite their disappointing results, both drivers will likely treat the sprint race as a valuable opportunity to gather data and improve setup ahead of the all-important Sunday Grand Prix. Given that these mistakes occurred during the first competitive session of the weekend, both Ferrari and Mercedes can take some solace in the fact that there is still time to recover.
For Hamilton, however, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the pressure and unpredictability that comes with adapting to a new team. With Ferrari’s upgrades in place and a season full of expectations, the 40-year-old will be eager to bounce back quickly and demonstrate that he still has what it takes to fight
at the front.
