Lewis Hamilton Recovers to Seventh at Belgian GP but Faces Criticism Over Qualifying Incident
Lewis Hamilton managed to salvage a respectable result at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, completing a strong recovery drive to finish in seventh place after what had been a complicated and frustrating weekend at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion arrived in Belgium facing pressure to deliver after his 2024 victory at the same venue had come under unusual circumstances—he inherited the win when his then-Mercedes teammate George Russell was disqualified for a technical infringement related to the car being under the minimum weight limit. This time around, Hamilton’s Belgian Grand Prix weekend started with a major setback during Sprint qualifying, where he suffered an unexpected spin. However, he responded in determined fashion during Sunday’s Grand Prix, executing a comeback from a pit lane start to climb into the top seven by the chequered flag.
Ferrari made a bold strategic decision overnight between Saturday and Sunday, choosing to switch Hamilton’s SF-25 to a wet weather setup in anticipation of tricky conditions. This decision gave the British driver an early advantage during the first 12 laps of the race, which were contested on Intermediate tyres due to damp track conditions. Despite receiving instructions from his race engineer to lift and coast in order to manage fuel consumption, Hamilton held firm in seventh place for the remaining 33 laps, successfully defending the position from rookie Liam Lawson in the closing stages.
It was undoubtedly a weekend full of highs and lows for Hamilton. His body language and post-session interviews reflected his frustration, particularly after both Sprint qualifying and standard qualifying sessions, where he appeared disappointed and downbeat. Former F1 team manager and motorsport journalist Peter Windsor later commented on Hamilton’s situation during an episode of the Cameron CC podcast. Windsor expressed the view that Hamilton had every reason to be upset after learning about certain remarks made by Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur.
According to Peter Windsor, Vasseur’s public reaction to Hamilton’s Sprint qualifying error was surprisingly blunt. The Ferrari boss had directly linked Hamilton’s spin to locking the rear brakes, implying that it was a straightforward case of driver error. This assessment came despite the team internally acknowledging that a technical experiment involving a modified rear suspension setup—trialled only on Hamilton’s car—had already shown limitations when tested by Charles Leclerc earlier in the season.
Windsor argued that it was unfair for Fred Vasseur to publicly attribute the incident solely to Hamilton when the car was fitted with a component that may have contributed to the loss of control. He believed the team principal’s phrasing effectively absolved the car setup and placed full responsibility on the driver, which, in Windsor’s opinion, was inappropriate and misleading.
The former Williams and Ferrari insider also suggested that the component in question, while officially referred to as rear suspension, could have involved changes related to the differential or other critical rear-end dynamics. He emphasized that this setup had already caused problems for Charles Leclerc, raising concerns about why it was being used again and why the team would downplay its potential role in Hamilton’s qualifying error.
Windsor went further, describing Fred Vasseur’s comments as shocking and suggested that no team principal should so openly imply fault when the full context involves experimental components not present on both cars. He believed Hamilton would have had every right to feel deeply frustrated upon discovering how his error was publicly explained by the Ferrari boss.
Hamilton’s weekend hit another low point during Saturday’s standard qualifying session, where he was eliminated in Q1 due to exceeding track limits at Raidillon. This was particularly notable given that McLaren driver Oscar Piastri had already received a warning for a similar infraction during practice earlier in the weekend. Windsor viewed this mistake as particularly avoidable and indicated that both Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari should have been more alert to the risk, especially after Piastri’s earlier penalty.
According to Windsor, Lewis Hamilton’s awareness improved once he realized there were technical issues affecting his performance, which seemed to ease some of his internal pressure. However, the track limits violation remained a costly error and reflected a lack of attention to detail in a high-pressure situation.
Former Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill also weighed in on Lewis Hamilton’s performance, noting that the British driver continues to face a steep learning curve in adapting to the Ferrari SF-25. Hill suggested that Hamilton requires more time to fully integrate with the Italian squad and optimize his driving style to match the specific demands of the Maranello-built car. Hill pointed out that Hamilton’s current struggles should not be seen as a reflection of declining skill but rather as part of the natural adjustment process that any driver undergoes after switching teams.
The Belgian Grand Prix marked another chapter in Hamilton’s ongoing adaptation to life at Ferrari, with flashes of speed and resilience contrasted by visible frustration and setbacks. With the summer break approaching, the spotlight remains firmly on how quickly the British driver can fully unlock the potential of his new machinery and return to consistent podium contention.
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