FIA announce Lewis Hamilton PENALTY at Belgian GP following…read more
Lewis Hamilton’s Belgian Grand Prix weekend has taken another downturn after being handed a penalty by the FIA, adding to what has already been a difficult few days at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has struggled to find form during the race weekend, and things have only gone from bad to worse following a technical infringement related to his car’s power unit components.
Hamilton’s outing in Belgium started on the wrong foot, with disappointing performances in both sprint qualifying and the main qualifying session. The British driver was unable to advance beyond the initial stages of sprint qualifying, leaving him with a lowly grid slot for the Saturday sprint race. His fortunes did not improve there, as he could only manage a 15th-place finish. Such results have made this one of his toughest weekends of the season, especially given Ferrari’s ambitions to challenge for podiums and victories.
The situation has now deteriorated further as Hamilton is set to start the main race from the pit lane due to a breach of Formula 1’s strict engine regulations. Ferrari, in a bid to improve performance and reliability, has opted to replace multiple engine components on Hamilton’s car. These changes, while necessary to address issues with the power unit, have exceeded the permitted allocation of parts for the season, triggering an automatic penalty under FIA rules.
The list of replaced components is extensive and includes a brand-new power unit, a turbocharger, two motor generator units (the MGU-H and MGU-K), an energy store, and new control electronics. Each of these components has a fixed usage limit throughout the season, and once a driver exceeds that allocation, penalties are unavoidable. In Hamilton’s case, the scale of the changes made by Ferrari means that he will not just receive a grid drop but will instead be required to start from the pit lane, further compounding his weekend woes.
The decision by Ferrari to change so many elements of the power unit suggests that the team is prioritizing the long-term performance of Hamilton’s car over his result at Spa. With the engine and its hybrid components playing a crucial role in both performance and reliability, these updates could be necessary to ensure the car remains competitive in the remaining rounds of the championship. However, this strategy comes at a cost, as Spa’s layout already makes overtaking a challenge, and starting from the pit lane will require Hamilton to mount a significant recovery drive just to finish in the points.
Hamilton’s situation is particularly frustrating given his history of success at the Belgian Grand Prix, where he has achieved multiple victories in the past. However, this year’s race is shaping up to be a test of damage limitation rather than an opportunity to fight for top positions. With Ferrari also under pressure to perform against rivals like Red Bull and McLaren, the penalty could also have broader implications for the team’s championship campaign.
As things stand, Hamilton faces an uphill battle when the lights go out at Spa. The combination of poor qualifying results, a lackluster sprint performance, and now a pit-lane start means that his chances of securing a strong finish on Sunday are slim. Nevertheless, given his experience and racecraft, Hamilton may still look to capitalize on any incidents or strategic opportunities during the Grand Prix to salvage some valuable points for himself and Ferrari.
