Championship leader Kimi Antonelli delivered a masterclass around the legendary circuit to secure pole position, narrowly beating out Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, it was a rollercoaster day for Lewis Hamilton, who heavily damaged his Ferrari in FP3 before a monumental effort by his team got him out to salvage sixth on the grid. Photo: AFP
Just as he was beginning to build real momentum in this season's Formula One title fight, Lewis Hamilton suffered a painful setback at the Belgian Grand Prix after crashing heavily during final practice before eventually qualifying sixth for Sunday's race at Spa-Francorchamps.
The seven-time world champion lost control of his Ferrari on Saturday morning through the daunting Fagnes chicane, slamming into the barriers and apologising over the team radio after admitting he had "destroyed the car."
It was a heartbreaking moment for Hamilton, who had shown encouraging pace throughout the weekend and arrived in Belgium looking to continue his resurgence.
Ferrari's mechanics worked frantically to rebuild the damaged SF-26 in time for qualifying, producing yet another remarkable turnaround. Hamilton was able to return to the track and salvage sixth on the grid, but the accident may have cost him a genuine shot at fighting for pole position and, more importantly, valuable championship points.
