Lewis Hamilton Faces Another Early Exit as Ferrari Qualifying Struggles Continue at Belgian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton found himself once again apologising to Scuderia Ferrari after suffering back-to-back Q1 eliminations at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix weekend. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, who qualified only 18th for the Sprint race, will start Sunday’s main Grand Prix from 16th position — a result that continues a difficult debut season with the Maranello-based team.
On Friday, Hamilton’s qualifying hopes were dashed by a spin during his final run. On Saturday, it was a track limits infringement that proved costly. Initially, it appeared that the British driver had done enough to advance, climbing as high as seventh with his final lap time in Q1. However, that lap was subsequently deleted after it was confirmed that Hamilton had exceeded track limits at Turn 4 — a breach that was not immediately evident on the live television feed but was made clear by stewards’ footage. Images from race control showed Hamilton with all four wheels over the white line at the top of the Eau Rouge climb, leading to his disqualification from the session.
Hamilton only managed to recover to 15th in the Sprint race and, in doing so, became the first Ferrari driver to suffer a Q1 elimination since Carlos Sainz at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 40-year-old driver had previously scored points at every race weekend this season, but that consistent streak is now under serious threat following his poor starting position at Spa-Francorchamps.
Ted Kravitz Questions Riccardo Adami’s Tone During Radio Exchange with Hamilton
Sky Sports F1 analyst Ted Kravitz turned his attention to the radio exchange between Hamilton and his Ferrari race engineer, Riccardo Adami, during Saturday’s qualifying. After crossing the line and hearing that his lap time had been deleted, Lewis Hamilton asked Riccardo Adami if everything was okay. The engineer responded by informing him that the deletion was due to exceeding track limits at Turn 4.
Upon hearing the reason, Hamilton asked if that meant he was out of the session. Riccardo Adami responded in a flat tone, confirming that his lap had been deleted and that he was classified in P16.
Ted Kravitz remarked on the noticeable lack of emotional engagement in Riccardo Adami’s delivery. He suggested that the Italian engineer, who previously worked with both Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel, may not yet have developed the same kind of rapport with Hamilton as Peter Bonnington — affectionately known as “Bono” — had during their long partnership at Mercedes.
Kravitz reflected on the exchange and questioned whether it lacked the empathy one might expect between a driver and engineer in a high-pressure situation. He believed Bonnington, who supported Hamilton throughout his championship-winning years at Mercedes, would likely have offered a more sympathetic and supportive tone. According to Kravitz, the message from Adami felt rather terse and clinical, missing the kind of human touch that often defined Hamilton’s relationship with Bonnington.
He concluded that while Riccardo Adami is not Peter Bonnington, and the working relationship is still developing, the absence of that familiar comfort could be playing a part in Hamilton’s ongoing adaptation struggles at Ferrari.
Hamilton’s Difficulties Continue Despite Belgian GP Upgrade as Rear-End Instability Persists
While Charles Leclerc managed to extract solid pace from the SF-25, qualifying third for Sunday’s main race after placing fourth in both Sprint sessions, Hamilton was once again unable to match his teammate’s performance. This highlights what many within the team see as the true potential of Ferrari’s 2025 car — a car that should be regularly competing near the front.
There was cautious optimism heading into the Belgian Grand Prix, particularly as Ferrari introduced a revised rear suspension system aimed at improving rear-end grip and overall handling. However, the early feedback and results have been underwhelming, and while it is too early to draw firm conclusions, the upgrade has not yet delivered the desired leap in competitiveness.
Hamilton’s main issue remains rear-end instability, something that Ferrari insider and test driver Marc Gené confirmed. According to Gené, Hamilton repeatedly raises this concern in engineering briefings, identifying it as the primary weakness undermining his confidence in the car.
Following his spin in Friday’s qualifying session, there was some initial confusion about what triggered the incident. But Hamilton later took full responsibility, admitting that the mistake was his own. Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill, speaking in the aftermath, questioned Hamilton’s decision to attack the kerbs so aggressively. Hill argued that, given the pace Hamilton had shown earlier in the session, there was no real need to push the limits so far — especially not in a situation where simple, clean laps could have secured passage to the next qualifying phase.
As the 2025 season continues, it is becoming increasingly evident that Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari will take more time than expected. Despite technical upgrades and a high level of ambition from both driver and team, consistency and comfort remain elusive. And as qualifying woes mount, so too do the questions about whether the new partnership can eventually deliver the success that both parties are chasing.
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