Lewis Hamilton crashed during the qualifying practice for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, causing significant damage to his Ferrari. The seven-time Formula 1 champion clipped a barrier with the rear-right side of his car during Saturday's session.
The impact snapped the bars holding the wheel in place, resulting in extensive damage to the car's corner and rear wing. The Ferrari bounced back onto the track, but Hamilton was unable to nurse the car back to the garage and pulled over at the side of the track to await assistance.
Hamilton Unharmed but Apologetic
Hamilton confirmed over the radio that he was unharmed, but expressed disappointment as he apologised to his race engineer, Carlo Santi. He said: "I've destroyed the car, mate, I'm sorry," to which Santi replied: "No worries."
The crash leaves Ferrari's mechanics with a major repair job. The team had to wait for the wreck to be recovered before it could be transported back to the pit lane. With less than two-and-a-half hours until the start of qualifying, the clock is ticking for Ferrari to have Hamilton's car race-ready.
Impact on Hamilton's Race Prospects
If the car is not ready for qualifying, or if the setup remains compromised, Hamilton's race will be considerably harder due to a lower grid position than he might have secured had he not crashed at the close of practice.
Meanwhile, championship leader Kimi Antonelli topped the timesheets once again, as he did in FP2 on Friday evening. He is the favourite for pole position, with Mercedes teammate George Russell needing to find additional pace to challenge the Italian teenager. Max Verstappen could also be a genuine threat, having featured in the top three across all three practice sessions.
Red Bull Adjustments and McLaren Penalty
Red Bull have removed the 'macarena' rear wing from Verstappen's car following safety concerns after it was identified as the cause of his high-speed crash at Silverstone. However, this does not appear to have significantly hampered his performance.
Lando Norris showed strong pace throughout practice but will not challenge for pole. McLaren have confirmed Norris will take a 10-place grid penalty this weekend after opting to introduce new control electronics parts, pushing him over his annual allocation.
