A former Formula One driver has given his take on Lewis Hamilton’s spin at Spa.
The seven-time world champion crashed out of Sprint Qualifying in the first session after a spin at the Bus Stop Chicane. It was a disappointing result in a highly anticipated weekend for Ferrari, who brought a significant upgrade to the Belgian Grand Prix.
There is still time to recover the result, both in the sprint race and Sunday’s Grand Prix, but Ant Davidson said that the spin was due to an issue with the car.
Ant Davidson blames Ferrari for Lewis Hamilton’s spin
Davidson, who took part in 24 races in F1 between 2002 and 2008, analysed the incident for Sky Sports F1 shortly after.
It was a rare mistake for one of F1’s all-time greats, and not one that Hamilton could do much about, according to Davidson.
He said, “I hear a lot of locking in the rear axle there. You hear that clunking? That’s backlash in the gearbox. I don’t blame the driver for that moment. Something’s going on there in the downshift phase in the gearbox.
“I give Lewis the benefit of the doubt with that one.”
Ferrari had high hopes entering the second half of the season, but if their new upgrade has brought with it instability at the rear end, it’s a major problem. It’s been a difficult start to Hamilton’s Ferrari career, and things aren’t looking brighter.
‘Frustrated’ Lewis Hamilton says it was the ‘first time’ he has had rear locking
Hamilton was short on words after Sprint Qualifying. What he did say was very revealing. He confirmed that the spin was due to rear locking, and that has never happened to him over his 18-year Formula One career.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, “[The rear lock happened for] the first time, I think in my career.
“I’m massively frustrated. A lot of work has gone in, and to be there is not really great.”
There’s plenty to take from that short statement. Hamilton wasn’t going to blatantly point fingers at Ferrari, but by saying it’s never happened to him before, it seems he’s essentially saying it was down to the car.
Davidson said it was unlikely to have been a mistake by the Brit, adding, “It’s quite hard for a driver to cause that, unless you’ve been a bit careless and thrown your brake bias too far rearwards. There’s very little a driver can do in these digital cars that they drive.”
Ferrari can make setup changes to the car before Grand Prix Qualifying, but if this rear locking is a fundamental issue with their new upgrade, it does not bode well for the rest of their season.