Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari had the pace to fight at least for a podium, and potentially even the top two positions, before a brake problem forced him to retire from the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. The setback ended a promising start to the race and further reinforced the seven-time world champion’s belief that catching Kimi Antonelli in the championship is no longer realistic.
It was a Sunday to forget for Lewis Hamilton at Madring. Ferrari had chosen to start the British driver on the soft tyre, a decision that immediately allowed him to attack the cars ahead and led to a controversial Turn 1 incident involving Max Verstappen. Red Bull instructed the Dutchman to give the position back to Hamilton, although Verstappen was reluctant to do so. Shortly afterwards, however, Hamilton’s Ferrari developed the brake problem that ultimately ended his race.
Lewis Hamilton explains Ferrari brake failure in Madrid
Speaking to television broadcasters after his retirement, Lewis Hamilton explained how the problem first appeared while braking for Turn 5.
“When I braked for Turn 5, I pressed the pedal, the car started slowing down and then the pedal suddenly dropped a step and the car didn’t decelerate as quickly as usual. In the end, I carried a lot of speed in and brushed the barrier. After that, the pedal came back to normal and then a few corners later it went long. I really don’t know where that came from.”
The failure was particularly frustrating given the significant braking demands of the new Madrid circuit and the performance Hamilton believed Ferrari had available during the race.
The seven-time world champion then turned his attention to the people working for the Scuderia, admitting that the early retirement was difficult to accept because of what he felt could have been achieved.
“I feel demoralised for everyone who works at Maranello and also for the people on the team who come to the track. The car was great today, I had the chance to fight and challenge those ahead of us, at least for the podium, if not even for the top two positions. But I was unlucky to have this brake problem very early.”
Hamilton says Ferrari could have fought for the Spanish GP podium
Hamilton’s assessment made the retirement even more painful. Rather than simply trying to limit the damage in Madrid, the Ferrari driver believed the SF-26 was capable of challenging much closer to the front before the brake issue intervened.
The result also added to the disappointment surrounding his championship campaign. Hamilton had already said after Monza that his hopes of chasing the title had effectively disappeared, and the Spanish Grand Prix retirement only strengthened that feeling. Ferrari’s championship position and the opportunities it may have lost earlier in the season have already been examined through a model of Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 title chances.
Lewis Hamilton praises Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes
Despite his own frustration, Lewis Hamilton praised his former team Mercedes and championship leader Kimi Antonelli for their performance during the 2026 season.
“There’s nothing that can stop Antonelli and Mercedes this year. I think they’ve done a phenomenal job and they deserve it.”
That does not mean Hamilton intends to ease off during the remaining races. Although he no longer sees the championship as a realistic target, the Ferrari driver made clear there are still significant objectives worth pursuing before the end of the season.
“There’s still something important to fight for.”
Hamilton dismisses Verstappen complaints after Turn 1 incident
Hamilton was also asked about Max Verstappen’s complaints concerning their Turn 1 battle at Madring. The incident had resulted in Red Bull asking Verstappen to surrender the position to the Ferrari driver.
Hamilton had little interest in extending the discussion.
“Nothing to do with me.”
For Lewis Hamilton, the overriding frustration remained the mechanical problem that prevented him from discovering just how competitive Ferrari could have been over the full Spanish Grand Prix distance. His race lasted only a handful of laps, but his post-race assessment was clear: before the brake failure struck, he believed a podium — and potentially an even stronger result — was within reach.
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