Lewis Hamilton reveals possible setup error after being overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg in F1 Spanish GP. Lewis Hamilton struggled in the final laps of the Spanish GP.

The Safety Car during the Spanish GP turned out to be a valuable wild card for Ferrari, which seized the opportunity to grab a podium with Charles Leclerc (albeit under investigation). The key was that Verstappen, having already used all sets of softs in his three-stop strategy, had to switch to the slower hard tyres, leaving him vulnerable. However, the other Ferrari driver was disadvantaged by the SC, as he struggled to regain rhythm in the final stint, even being overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg. This raised suspicions of a problem on Hamilton’s car at the end of the Spanish GP. That possibility was also confirmed by Fred Vasseur in post-race interviews. An indication of the issue came from the driver himself over the radio.

Lewis Hamilton’s team radio on the issue
Immediately after his final pit stop in the Spanish GP, still behind the Safety Car, Lewis Hamilton reported a problem over the radio: “The car suddenly feels very light. Something went wrong with the last [front wing] adjustment, I think.”

During the stop, in addition to the tyre change, mechanics also adjust the flaps on the front wing to correct the car’s balance. Lewis Hamilton suspected that, amid the chaos of a double pit stop under the Safety Car, a mistake may have occurred during this operation, compromising the car’s handling. It should also be noted that Nico Hulkenberg was on a fresh set of soft tyres, while the Ferrari driver only had a used set from qualifying, making defending on track even harder.