For Lewis Hamilton, the Belgian Grand Prix lasted just one lap. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion had to put his Mercedes aside after a collision with Fernando Alonso. Hamilton (37) had finished in all previous races this season. The Briton did not finish in the points only once.
Hamilton and Alonso dueled on the opening lap for second place behind Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who had started from pole position. Alonso (Alpine) had the inside in the chicane after the long straight, with Hamilton on the outside. The Alpine and Mercedes collided in the corner, with Hamilton’s car briefly lifting off the ground.
“What an idiot,” Alonso said over the onboard radio. “We had a mega start, but he slammed the door from the outside. This guy only knows how to race when he starts at the front.”
The safety car came on track after Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) had spun. Max Verstappen, who started from fourteenth place, had already moved up to eighth place at that time.