Featured Image Credit: Clive Rose / Staff via Getty
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Motorsport, Formula 1
James Taylor
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Motorsport, Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton set an unwanted Ferrari record with a dismal performance in sprint qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion has struggled since making the move to Mercedes in the summer and is yet to record a podium finish in a grand prix.
His only real highlight came in the Chinese GP Sprint race, where he won convincingly.
His struggles have continued so far at this weekend's Belgian GP.
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Hamilton looked set to progress to the second stage of sprint qualifying, until he spun in the final sector and was unable to complete his lap.
It leaves the Briton 18th on the grid and facing an uphill battle for tomorrow's sprint race.
It is the first time since the introduction of the sprint format that a Ferrari has been knocked out in the first part of sprint qualifying.
His spin at Spa was the latest struggle in what has been a tough year for Hamilton at Ferrari.
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On Sky Martin Brundle said: "His rear axle broke up under braking, highly unusual.
"I don't think there's anyone more surprised at that than Lewis Hamilton."
Anthony Davidson added: "I hear a lot of locking in the rear axle on the car.
"That clunking is backlash in the gearbox. I don't blame the driver for that moment.
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"Something is going on there in the downshift phase of that Ferrari. I give Lewis the benefit of the doubt for that one."
He trails his teammate Charles Leclerc by 16 points in the Drivers' Championship, while his Ferrari team have been unable to cope with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at McLaren.
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But Hamilton was optimistic ahead of this weekend's race.
“I see a huge amount of potential within this team,” said Hamilton. “The passion: nothing comes close to that.
“But it’s a huge organisation, and there are a lot of moving parts. And not all of them are firing on all the cylinders that they need to be. That’s ultimately why the team has not had the success that I think it deserves.
“So I feel that it’s my job to challenge absolutely every area, to challenge everybody in the team. Particularly the guys that are at the top who are making the decisions.
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“If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they’ve had amazing drivers: Fernando [Alonso], Sebastian [Vettel] – world champions. However, they didn’t win a world championship [at Ferrari].
“And for me, I refuse for that to be the case with me.”