Lewis Hamilton endured a nightmare afternoon at the Belgian Grand Prix, crashing into former team-mate George Russell and later hitting his own Ferrari mechanic. The FIA has launched investigations into both incidents.
First Crash with George Russell
Hamilton, 41, received a five-second penalty after colliding with Mercedes driver Russell at the Belgian Grand Prix, forcing the 28-year-old Briton to retire from the race. Russell expressed his frustration: "I just got totally swallowed up down the straight. I lost three positions down the straight down into Turn Five and then the incident was a racing incident. Maybe I could have gone a bit wider, maybe he could have braked a bit more, the incident shouldn't have happened if I had the speed down the straight. Very, very disappointed."
Second Incident with Ferrari Mechanic
After opening an initial investigation into the Russell collision, the FIA launched a second probe when Hamilton knocked a mechanic to the ground during a pit stop. Ferrari brought Hamilton in during a virtual safety car, and he made low-speed contact with a mechanic working on the front right of the car, sending him tumbling. Hamilton immediately asked over team radio whether the mechanic was okay, and race engineer Carlo Santi confirmed the mechanic was fine. The FIA is now investigating the potential unsafe release.
Impact on Championship
Russell's withdrawal from the Belgian GP has dealt a massive blow to his championship aspirations. Heading into Spa, he sat second in the Drivers' Championship, 25 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli. With Antonelli positioned to claim victory and rivals like Hamilton collecting points, Russell is expected to lose further ground in the world championship battle.
