P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton has revealed his sprint qualifying spin at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix was triggered by a new component that had also caused team-mate Charles Leclerc to crash in Canada when he ran it for the first time
Lewis Hamilton disclosed that his spin during the sprint qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix was caused by a new component, similar to what led to his teammate Charles Leclerc’s crash in Canada. The spin occurred at the bus stop chicane in his final sprint qualifying effort, leaving him in 18th on the grid, with a previous oversteer moment at Stavelot.
Ferrari had no immediate explanation for the rear wheel lock-up that forced Hamilton off the track, a first in his career. This weekend saw Ferrari experimenting with a revised rear suspension layout to address setup weaknesses with their current car.
Hamilton attributed the spin to a new component, also present in Leclerc’s crash in Canada, which impacted braking performance. Despite finishing 15th in the sprint, Hamilton is hopeful this issue is now understood and won’t recur.
Both drivers faced challenges during the race, with Leclerc acknowledging Ferrari’s struggle to match the performance of Red Bull and McLaren, resulting in a 4th place finish. The team is focused on turning their situation around and closing the performance gap. Leclerc emphasized the difficulty of catching up with rival teams constantly developing their cars.
