2026 Belgian GP: Ferrari, Hamilton contest penalty

Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton left Spa disputing a five-second penalty, while Hamilton also reported car feel concerns after his practice crash.

Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton left the Belgian Grand Prix disputing a five-second penalty issued for Hamilton’s opening-lap collision with George Russell. Autosport reported that both Hamilton and team boss Frederic Vasseur disagreed with the decision, with Vasseur calling the sanction “mega harsh”.

Hamilton also said the Ferrari did not feel the same after his third-practice crash at Spa, according to Autosport and Motorsport.com. Both outlets reported that he still qualified 0.002s behind Charles Leclerc, but Hamilton said that did not remove his concerns about the rebuilt car.

The setback came at an important point in Ferrari’s season. Hamilton, in his first year racing for Formula 1’s 16-time constructors’ champion, stood second in the 2026 drivers’ championship on 159 points, while Leclerc was fourth on 126.