Lewis Hamilton experienced a subtle imbalance in the rear suspension of his Ferrari SF-26 following a crash during the third free practice session at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix. Despite the repairs carried out by Ferrari ahead of qualifying, Hamilton noted that the car did not feel quite the same as before the incident.
The crash occurred at the exit of the Fagnes corner during FP3, forcing Ferrari to work under time pressure to restore the car for the qualifying session. While the repairs were successful in making the car race-ready, Hamilton pointed out that the rear suspension setup was affected, leading to a slight change in balance. This difference reportedly cost him around one or two tenths of a second per lap compared to his earlier runs.
Hamilton qualified sixth, narrowly missing out on fifth place by just 0.002 seconds to teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured the fifth spot on the grid. The qualifying session also highlighted a power unit gap between Ferrari and Mercedes, with Hamilton acknowledging that Mercedes held an advantage, especially on the straights. This deficit contributed to the gap between Hamilton and polesitter Kimi Antonelli.
Despite the challenges, Hamilton expressed optimism about his potential to compete for a podium finish in the race. He praised Ferrari's swift and effective repair work, which ensured the car was ready for qualifying despite the limited time available. The subtle rear suspension imbalance, however, remained a factor in how the car handled during the session.
The situation underlines how even minor setup changes can influence performance in Formula 1®, where tenths of a second often separate drivers. Hamilton’s assessment reflects the fine margins teams face when repairing cars quickly during race weekends, especially on demanding circuits like Spa-Francorchamps.
Hamilton’s comments came after Saturday’s sessions at the Belgian Grand Prix, where the qualifying order was shaped by a combination of driver performance, car setup, and the technical challenges posed by the crash and subsequent repairs. The gap to Mercedes on the power unit front remains a notable aspect of Ferrari’s ongoing development efforts.
Overall, Hamilton’s experience at Spa highlights the complexities teams encounter in maintaining optimal car balance after incidents. His qualifying result, just behind Leclerc, showed resilience despite the setback, while the power unit differences continued to influence the competitive landscape during the weekend.
