'A Weekend To Forget But...': Lewis Hamilton Leaves Spa-Francorchamps On High
Lewis Hamilton finished seventh at Belgian Grand Prix after starting from pit lane and praised team's strategy and pit stop execution.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has said that although the Belgian Grand Prix weekend was one to forget, he would take a lot of positives from the Ferrari on Sunday, July 27, when he finished a creditable seventh after starting way below in the race.
Four drivers began from the pit lane, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Antonelli and Hamilton, having made changes to their power units or set-up overnight. They started at the rear of the field ahead of the rolling start at the start of lap 5 but that was a big strategic call that bore fruit.
Alex Albon clung on to finish sixth for Williams ahead of chasing Hamilton of Ferrari, who began from the pit lane and Racing Bulls' rookie Liam Lawson.
'Today's race was a positive step forward. The strategy and pit stop were executed perfectly and the overnight changes we made to the setup allowed me to get the most out of the car," Hamilton said while speaking to Formula One's website.
'I felt much more comfortable behind the wheel and I'm pleased with how everything came together," Hamilton added.
On lap 12, Hamilton was the first in for medium slick tyres, rejoining 18th, followed by Oscar Piastri, Leclerc, Max Verstappen, Andre Russell and more. Lando Norris stayed out one lap longer for hards, hoping to profit if his rival's rubber degraded in the closing laps.
The only pit stop, executed in just 2.2 seconds, was one of the fastest of the day.
By lap 15, everyone else had switched to mediums and it was Piastri on top ahead of Norris by 9.3 with Leclerc third, leading Verstappen, Russell, Albon and in flying form, Hamilton.
Piastri went on to win the race, with Norris second and Leclerc third. World champion Verstappen finished fourth.
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