Lewis Hamilton left the Belgian Formula 1 GP convinced that Ferrari is on the right track, but acknowledged that he needs to raise his own performance in the next stage. After a weekend marked by incidents at Spa-Francorchamps, the Briton stated that he needs to deliver the level of driving he knows he is capable of achieving.
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The seven-time champion finished the race in fourth position, a result obtained despite a five-second penalty for a touch with George Russell, in addition to a pit lane incident involving a Ferrari mechanic. As a result, Hamilton lost ground in the championship fight and is now 45 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
Even with the setbacks, the British driver highlighted the progress shown by Ferrari on a circuit where the team, at least in theory, was not considered a favorite. Charles Leclerc, for example, finished the race in second position, reinforcing the competitiveness of the SF-26.
“This just shows that the car is evolving in the right direction. It all comes down to the great work of the team in bringing improvements every weekend. It’s really encouraging. The team made great strategic decisions and we raised our level in practically all areas of operation during the weekends,” Hamilton stated.
The Briton also believes that the potential shown at Spa could have resulted in a victory: “As I said, I think we had the pace to win today. Considering everything that happened, leaving here with points is a positive thing,” he said.
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With an eye on the Hungarian GP, a stage where he holds a record of eight victories, the Briton made it clear that he expects an immediate response: “I hope we can be competitive. First, I need to get things right next week and make sure I deliver the way I know I can. We need to get there and fight,” he added.
Another delicate moment of the weekend happened during a pit stop, when Hamilton touched a Ferrari mechanic after receiving the signal to leave his position. The driver stated that his biggest fear was that the episode would have more serious consequences.
“My God, I was just grateful that the mechanic wasn’t hurt. I was looking at the lights and the car. I should leave when the light goes out, and that’s what I did. Then I saw him to my right and stopped as soon as I could,” he explained. Hamilton also immediately remembered the accident involving Kimi Raikkonen in previous years: “At the time, all I could think about was what happened with Kimi. It was the first thing that came to mind, but fortunately he got up and walked away,” he added.
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