Lewis Hamilton ended his FP3 in the wall in Madrid before repeatedly ignoring the order from Ferrari to stop his damaged car. A double consequence is looming.
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The third free practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix turned into a nightmare for Lewis Hamilton. While doing a fast lap on the Madring, the Ferrari driver missed his braking point in the last corner and ended directly in the barriers, immediately causing a red flag.
The Briton managed to restart without apparent damage to his suspensions, but his destroyed front wing got stuck under the SF-26. Ferrari then asked him several times to immediately stop his car. Hamilton however continued before finally stopping, a decision that could now attract the attention of the stewards.
Hamilton ends up in the wall
The accident happened while the seven-time world champion was pushing on a fast lap. Arriving too fast in the last corner, Hamilton failed to slow down his Ferrari enough and hit the barriers.
The impact destroyed his front wing but, contrary to what the impact might have suggested, the suspension of the SF-26 still seemed intact. Hamilton then engaged reverse gear to clear his car before trying to return to the pits.
That’s when the situation got complicated. The damaged front wing was rubbing against the track and gradually got stuck under the front wheels, also causing a puncture. Ferrari quickly realized that continuing to drive could become dangerous and asked their driver to stop.
Hamilton ignores several requests from Ferrari
However, Hamilton did not immediately comply. Despite several instructions from his team asking him to stop the car, the Briton continued trying to bring his SF-26 back to the pits.
He was eventually forced to stop, but his behavior could now have additional consequences. Driving with a heavily damaged car and likely to lose debris on the track can be considered dangerous by the stewards.
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A possible investigation could therefore be added to the already significant sporting consequences of his accident. Just a few hours before qualifying, Ferrari will also have to check the exact extent of the damage and repair the car within a particularly tight deadline.
An immediate first sanction
Even without a decision from the stewards, Hamilton is already paying a high price for his mistake. His accident prematurely ends his FP3 and deprives him notably of the last qualifying simulations, which are particularly important on a circuit that drivers are only discovering this weekend.
The Briton had nevertheless shown encouraging pace on Friday. Fourth in FP1 then third in FP2, just a little over a tenth off the reference from Kimi Antonelli, he appeared as one of the serious candidates for the top positions on the grid.
Ferrari still had to work on the balance of his car before qualifying. Hamilton explained on Friday that the SF-26 had become harder to place in its optimal window over the course of the day, making FP3 all the more important to validate the last changes.
Ferrari now under pressure before qualifying
The mechanics now have little time to repair the car. The front wing will obviously have to be replaced, but Ferrari will especially have to ensure that the impact against the barriers did not cause more serious damage that was not immediately visible.
Added to this is the possibility of an intervention by the stewards regarding Hamilton’s behavior after the accident. If they consider that he continued to drive despite a car in a dangerous condition, a sporting sanction could be considered.
Hamilton thus risks paying for his accident on two levels: he has already lost a crucial part of FP3 and could now have to answer for his decision to continue driving despite repeated instructions from Ferrari. Just hours before qualifying, the pressure has suddenly risen in the seven-time world champion’s garage.
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