Lewis Hamilton qualified down in 18th after suffering a “highly unusual” spin and onboard footage has revealed what exactly caused his early Belgian GP Sprint Qualifying exit.
The anticipation surrounding Hamilton’s first campaign with Ferrari at Spa-Francorchamps was palpable throughout the paddock, expectations were high the seven-time Formula 1 world champion would deliver a strong performance at the iconic Belgian circuit amid disappointing showings so far this season.
The Sprint Qualifying format added a new layer of excitement and pressure to the Grand Prix weekend, demanding perfection in a condensed session where every lap counts and the margin for error is razor-thin.
Lewis Hamilton kicked off Friday afternoon qualifying session determined to deliver the fastest lap for Ferrari but events quickly took a dramatic turn, shocking Formula 1 viewers worldwide.
On his initial flying lap of SQ1, Hamilton encountered a brief but costly moment of oversteer at Turn 14, which placed him in the critical drop zone as faster times flowed in.
Recognizing he was on the brink of elimination, the British driver rolled the dice and went for a final, all-out flying lap, delivering personal bests through the middle sector.
However, drama unfolded as Hamilton approached the legendary Bus Stop Chicane—one of Formula 1’s trickiest final corners—as his Ferrari snapped into a spin under braking, veering into the run-off area and immediately dashing hopes of progressing to the next phase of qualifying.
The session had barely ended, but the disappointment was already etched onto Hamilton’s face as he made his way to the pits, shaking his head in disbelief.
His early Belgian GP Sprint Qualifying exit means he will start Saturday’s Sprint race from 18th, a demoralizing blow for both driver and Ferrari’s title ambitions following recent suspension upgrades to the SF-25 chassis.
Immediately after the incident, scrutiny intensified around the cause of Hamilton’s spin. Was this a rare driver mistake, or had a technical issue played a more significant role?
Hamilton himself, ever the professional, gave little away in post-session interviews, simply stating: “I spun, I spun, first time I think in my career.”
“Not great, there’s not really a lot to say. Tomorrow’s a new day. Obviously I’m massively frustrated… Hopefully tomorrow will be better.”
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However, Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson noted a distinct sound from Hamilton’s Ferrari during the decisive moment, suggesting the gearbox may have played an unexpected role.
“It’s surprising that he’s taken the blame for that,” Davidson said. “Maybe if he listens back to it again, and by the time he gets back to the data and works it through with the engineers, he might think differently.
“But at the moment, he’s a bit downtrodden and beating himself up for it. They will clearly see that there was rear locking, and it’s quite hard for a driver to cause that, unless you’ve been a bit careless and thrown your brake bias too far to the rear.
“There’s very little a driver can do in these digital cars that they drive. They’re not very analogue these days. There’s only so much you can do on a flappy paddle gearbox to make the thing try to lock up.
“No matter what he says, the car spun him round to a certain degree.”
Meanwhile, Martin Brundle shifted the blame away from Hamilton: “His rear axle broke up under braking, highly unusual. It looks like a technical issue. Nobody will be more surprised than Lewis.
“It’s almost like the engine sort of stalled out, and every time he pulled another shift it’s just locked the rear axle. I don’t think there’s anyone more surprised at that than Lewis Hamilton.”
The setback comes after Hamilton revealed he is pushing for changes at Ferrari as the team struggles to secure race wins.
The Maranello outfit arrived at Spa with high hopes, bringing an upgrade package aimed at improving the SF-25’s rear suspension and overall balance. However, the updates did little to improve the car’s drivability.
The lack of extra grip, particularly in the final sector, highlighted persistent challenges for Ferrari, with teammate Charles Leclerc only managing a best of fourth position, nearly eight-tenths off Oscar Piastri’s benchmark.
