Lewis Hamilton may have encountered a late-race issue during the 2025 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, as suggested by a team radio message that raised questions about a potential problem with his Ferrari SF-25. The seven-time world champion, who joined Scuderia Ferrari for the 2025 season, finished seventh after starting from the pit lane, but a conversation with his race engineer hinted at a possible concern.
Hamilton had originally qualified in 16th place but was dropped to 18th on the starting grid due to engine component changes that triggered a penalty. The race itself was delayed by over an hour due to extreme weather conditions, which made it impossible to race safely, as visibility was severely limited by the heavy rain and spray.
When the race finally began, Lewis Hamilton was among the first drivers to pit for tyre changes and quickly gained a handful of positions. Thanks to this early strategy move and strong race pace in the drying conditions, he worked his way into the top ten.
However, for over twenty laps, the British driver remained stuck behind Alexander Albon’s Williams, unable to complete a pass due to a lack of straight-line speed — a known trade-off resulting from the high-downforce rear wing configuration Ferrari had fitted for wet conditions. In the closing laps of the race, Hamilton opened up over team radio, revealing what appeared to be a worrying situation. He told his race engineer: “I can’t attack, I don’t have fuel, mate!” Shortly afterward, he asked: “Can I push or not?” Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami responded by telling him to stay on “standby.”
After a brief period of silence, Lewis Hamilton asked again for clarity, urging his engineer to provide more information. The final message from the Ferrari pit wall came shortly after: “Let’s stay where we are.”
Despite the fuel-related concern expressed over the radio, Lewis Hamilton was able to complete the race without stalling and parked his SF-25 without incident at the end of the Grand Prix. At the time of writing, there have been no official reports of any post-race technical infringements. However, it cannot be ruled out that the #44 Ferrari car might be subjected to additional checks by FIA officials to ensure full compliance with the regulations.
What would happen in such a case? If the car is found to be under the minimum weight limit, which includes the fuel required for post-race sampling, the driver could face disqualification from the race. A similar situation occurred earlier this season at the Chinese Grand Prix, when Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari SF-25 was found to be underweight by one kilogram after the post-race scrutineering process — a clear breach of Formula 1’s minimum weight regulations.
For now, Lewis Hamilton retains his seventh-place finish in Spa, but the team radio exchange has certainly sparked speculation over whether the British driver was forced to ease off due to fuel-saving concerns in the final stages of the race. As always, post-race inspections will determine whether the SF-25 met all the technical requirements, but Ferrari will be hoping their strategic decisions do not come back to haunt them.
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