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Lewis Hamilton was visibly shaken and unusually quiet following a disastrous Sprint Qualifying session at the 2025 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix. The British driver, now racing for Scuderia Ferrari, made a costly mistake during his final attempt in SQ1, losing control of the rear of his SF-25 at the final chicane of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The resulting spin meant Hamilton failed to progress beyond the first qualifying segment and is now set to start 18th in Saturday’s Sprint race — one of the worst results in his time with the Maranello-based team, which continues to struggle with consistency this season.
After the session, Lewis Hamilton kept his media interactions to a minimum. His body language — head lowered, a monotone voice, and brief, clipped answers — clearly expressed the deep frustration he has been carrying in recent weeks. When asked what had gone wrong during the lap, the seven-time World Champion responded simply and curtly: “I spun.” Not a single word more than necessary.
When a follow-up question probed whether it had been caused by a rear axle lock-up, Hamilton replied coldly, “Yes, I think it’s the first time in my career that’s happened.” The remark underscored the rare nature of the mistake and how deeply it had affected him.
Already during Thursday’s media day, Lewis Hamilton had hinted that he was not entirely comfortable with the latest upgrades introduced by Ferrari at Spa. This contrasted with the optimism coming from within the team, led by Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, who had publicly stated that the new aerodynamic and mechanical package was performing well. While Charles Leclerc managed to extract a solid performance from the revised SF-25, securing fourth place in qualifying — just seven-tenths of a second behind the dominant McLaren of Oscar Piastri — Hamilton was left far off the pace of both his team-mate and the competition.
Even in his first run during SQ1, Hamilton’s lap was visibly uncompetitive and lacked the rhythm shown by Charles Leclerc. His second and final flying lap ended abruptly with the spin at the final chicane, effectively sealing his fate in the session. Despite the setback, the British driver made an effort to remain somewhat optimistic. “Tomorrow is a new day, so we’ll try again. Obviously, I’m very frustrated because there’s been a lot of work behind the scenes, and to end up here is not ideal. Hopefully, we’ll have a bit more luck tomorrow,” he stated, trying to focus on the upcoming challenges.
In recent races, there had been glimmers of a turnaround for Lewis Hamilton, with performances that even saw him out-qualify Charles Leclerc — something that has been a rare occurrence in the 2025 Formula 1 season. However, the outing at Spa-Francorchamps marked a clear step backwards, not only in terms of raw performance but also in attitude and morale. His demeanor during the post-session interviews recalled the difficult early part of the season: dejected, lacking energy, and seemingly disillusioned with Ferrari’s project.
Formula 1 is as much a psychological battle as it is a mechanical one, and few drivers embody that truth as much as Lewis Hamilton. When the British driver is in a good place mentally, it shows — in his pace, his body language, and his interactions. But when things go wrong, as they did this Friday in Belgium, his frustration is equally visible. As Ferrari continues to work on unlocking the full potential of its latest upgrades, Hamilton’s confidence remains fragile — and the pressure is once again mounting as the championship heads into the second half of the season.
Jul 25, 2025
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