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Lewis Hamilton said he needed to apologise to his Ferrari team after describing his successive early qualifying eliminations at the Belgian Grand Prix as “very poor” and “unacceptable”.
Amid a miserable Sprint weekend so far for the seven-time world champion at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton has failed to clear the first hurdle in either of the event’s two qualifying sessions.
In Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, the Ferrari driver spun at the end of his final lap in SQ1 and qualified 18th.
Then, having finished 15th in the short-form Saturday race itself, Hamilton dropped out early again main qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix – this time after a track limits infringement at the top of Eau Rouge on his final lap saw his seventh-quickest time deleted by Race Control.
The loss of his fastest lap left Hamilton in 16th place on Sunday’s grid, 13 places behind team-mate Charles Leclerc who impressed by beating Sprint victor Max Verstappen to the head of the second row behind the dominant McLaren drivers.
A disappointed Hamilton made no excuses for his travails, telling Sky Sports F1 after qualifying: “From my side, another mistake.
“I really have got to look internally.
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Lewis Hamilton has his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, meaning he is out in Q1 at the Belgian GP.
“I have got to apologise to my team because it’s just unacceptable to be out in both Q1s.
“It’s a very, very poor performance from myself.”
On how he had felt with the car, which has featured an upgrade to its rear suspension this weekend, said: “We made some changes [for qualifying].
“The car didn’t feel terrible. It was even tough for us because we had to put a second set [of tyres on] to get through Q1.”
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Qualifying highlights from the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamp.
Hamilton now faces an uphill battle to even score a handful of points in Sunday’s 44-lap race, although the prospect of Sunday rain may help his chances of producing a drive through the field.
“I don’t think there’s really much we can do [with the car],” said Hamilton, who had started no lower than fourth in his previous eight Belgian GPs.
“I will just try and start where I am and see where I can get from there.”
’Probably it for the rest of the year’ – Hamilton on Ferrari’s 2026 focus shift
Although Leclerc was both pleased and surprised to qualify as high as third, Ferrari’s gap to the McLarens in qualifying was still three tenths of a second despite the arrival of the SF-25’s new rear suspension.
Hamilton admits that, with 2026’s huge regulation change now less than six months away, Ferrari’s factory focus is now set to be on F1’s new era.
“We are trying to do the best with what we have. Everyone is working flat out back at the factory,” he said.
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Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton spins out of Sprint Qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
“We have had upgrades but that’s probably it for the rest of the year, then I think the focus back at the factory at least is to focus on next year’s car.
“This season has been a tricky one.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix
Sunday July 27
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered flag: Belgian GP reaction*
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
The 2025 Formula 1 season resumes with the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday with lights out at 2pm, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
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