Again again Q1-out for Lewis Hamilton: The Ferrari pilot is already in qualifying at the Grand Prix of Belgium as 16 in Q1-and thus for the second time after its SQ1 out on Friday. A round painted for track limits causes the barrel to overflow.
“I don’t agree with that,” says Hamilton when he is asked about his painted time. “But I’m out.” The sentence is exemplary for the whole weekend: a lot of effort, little yield – and a driver who wrestles with himself and the material.
Hamilton had put a decent round. But in curve four he was obviously too far out of minimal – the race management stroked the time, the Briton was only 16. For the race on Sunday, that means again: start from far back.
Lewis Hamilton apologizes – with restriction
Despite all the frustration, Hamilton initially showed itself self -critically: “I have to apologize to the team. It is simply unacceptable to fly out both times in Q1. A very, very bad performance from me.”
But: When asked whether he was really outside the route with all four bikes, he just answers: “I don’t agree with that.” And explains: “Everyone takes this curb with them. Perhaps it was my most trial so far, but not extreme. I have been driving the line for the whole weekend.”
Already on Friday it was caught in SQ2 McLaren-Pilot Oscar Piatri in the Raidillon curve. The Australian was deleted the lap time in the same place and just made it into the final SQ3 with tenth place. Hamilton was a little less lucky and says when asked whether he will still discuss the decision with the stewards: “Yes.”
Ferrari with update – but no effect on Lewis Hamilton
But even without the offense, the frustration predominates with the British. Ferrari had brought an update to the rear wheel suspension for Spa, and the team also relies on a set-up with little downforce to be competitive on the long straight line of the Ardennes route. Team colleague Charles Leclerc was at least partially able to benefit from this – he finished third behind the two McLaren.
Hamilton, on the other hand, fought the whole weekend by car-even in the sprint race, after the end of the SQ1, he was only 15 and stuck in the DRS train despite low-downforce set-up. “We made changes to the set-up, but the car didn’t really feel better,” said Hamilton.
Video: F1 analysis: “Hamilton in the shadow of Leclerc”
“Not bad, but just not competitive.” The main limitation factor is “probably the rear”, which gives him little trust in the braking.
Ferrari brand ambassador contradicts
An additional topic of conversation was a new vehicle part that Hamilton used for the first time in Spa – a component that Charles Leclerc had already used in Canada, according to Hamilton. According to its own statements, the element led to unexpected behavior when braking – especially to a rotary in sprint qualifying.
Ferrari brand ambassador Marc Gene contradicts “Sky”: “The new suspension was used here for the first time, even at the film day in Mugello. Charles definitely didn’t have her in Canada.” Gene suspects that Hamilton’s statement could have been another set-up element-such as a geometry change.
Sky expert Nico Rosberg commented: “It may also be that Lewis just put on an excuse. Charles had the problem, now he has it – fits into the picture.” But Gene waves: “Lewis is very sensitive when it comes to instability. Charles can deal with it better. But we know that we still have to improve.”
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur also says after qualifying: “For me it was not a question of performance today. The performance was the same on both sides of the garage – it was only due to the track limits.”
No set-up change possible
When asked whether he would think about a set-up change in view of the weather forecast for Sunday, Hamilton explains: “I can’t do anything. I can no longer change the car.” Ferrari could break the Parc fermen rules, but then Hamilton would have to start out of the box.
The ferrari is tailored to low downforce – well for dry conditions with long straights, but not ideal for the predicted rain, which requires more mechanical grip and stability in the curves. “We try to do the best with what we have,” said Hamilton. “But it will be a difficult race.”
Particularly critical: Hamilton threatens again in a DRS train – as in the sprint race on Saturday. And the possible rain not only fits the set-up, but also the Ferrari in general. Already in Silverstone it has been shown that the SF-25 seems to lose ground on a wet route.
Ferrari: The goal remains second
Despite all the problems: Ferrari is currently in second place in the design classification – and wants to defend it. Gene: “Second place is never enough for Ferrari. But we have to remain realistic. Red Bull is still too strong, and McLaren is currently the clear number two in speed.”
As for Hamilton, Gene Understanding shows: “Lewis does not yet have full trust in the car. In Silverstone it was his best weekend so far, when he was at eye level with Charles. But he needs a car that he feels from the first moment – we have not yet been able to give him that.”