Ferrari Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton was “massively frustrated” after his SF-25 F1 car was unusually slowed down to the penultimate corner of Spa-Francorchamps during the Belgian sprint racing qualifications in the Grand Prix.
Hamilton was on a flying tour in SQ1, and just when he approached the second at the corner, the back of his car was temporarily locked up, leading him to turn and leave the race track.
A technical fault is suspected of being at the origin of the incident, given the way in which his SF-25 took place. Anthony Davidson, of Sky Sports F1, also noted the hanging in the audio when Hamilton has downgraded. Davidson said:
“I hear a lot of locking in the rear axle on the car. This collusion is a backlash in the gearbox. I do not blame the driver for this moment. Something happens there in the demotion phase of this Ferrari. I give Lewis the benefit of the doubt for this one.”
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari speaks during the driver’s press conference during the previews before the Belgian F1 Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on July 24, 2025 in Spa, Belgium.
Clive Rose / Getty images
Martin Brundle of Sky F1 also excluded Hamilton’s fault. He said:
“It looks like a technical problem. No one will be surprised than Lewis. It is almost like the engine stored, and each time he drew another change, he is just locked the rear axle.”
Ferrari entered the race weekend with a new rear suspension. However, a frustrated Hamilton was not too positive on the new change on the SF-25 after the incident. He will start the race sprint in P18 on Saturday. Addressing the media after the Sprint qualification session, he admitted that it was the first time in his career that the back of his car was locked up. When asked by Craig Slater of Sky Sports News what happened, he said:
“I turned.”
When asked if it was a rear lock, he said:
“”[Yeah] First time, I think, in my career. “”
When asked for his assessment of the car, he said:
“Not great, not great. Yeah, there is not really much to say.”
Hamilton underlined during the British Grand Prix that the SF-25 was essential. When asked if the car had become more conductable with the upgrading of the suspension, he shook his head, suggesting that there had been no improvement.
Asked about his reflections for the sprint race the next day, which follows the qualification session for the main race, he said:
“Tomorrow is a new day, so we will try to … Obviously, I’m massively frustrated, so … Lots of work has entered, and being there is not really great. So, yes, I hope that tomorrow will be better.”
Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc managed to guarantee the fourth position for the race sprint behind Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in the same order.