Lewis Hamilton’s Saturday qualifying at Spa‑Francorchamps finished sixth, a half‑second shy of pole after a hurried repair at the Fagnes exit forced a change to the rear suspension that upset the balance of the SF‑26.
Urgent Rebuild After Practice Crash
During the third free‑practice session, Hamilton suffered a collision at the Fagnes exit that required the team to patch the vehicle before qualifying. The swift overhaul meant the rear suspension set‑up differed from the lap‑sharpened configuration in FP3, creating an imbalance that cost the driver tenths of a second per lap.
Power‑Unit Question Marks
When asked whether the half‑second gap to Kimi Antonelli’s pole time owed to the Mercedes unit, Hamilton said he had not seen the overlay data. “I noticed I was losing some speed in the final sector,” he explained, noting that the team had been observing the car’s performance throughout the weekend.
Steady Optimism Ahead of the Race
Despite the setback, Hamilton praised the Maranello team’s repair work, stating it was “done very well” and that he was still hopeful the car would perform optimally during the race. “In FP3 the car was feeling great,” he added, underscoring his confidence in the vehicle’s potential.
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