Despite a disappointing qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps, Lewis Hamilton remains optimistic ahead of the race. The Briton believes that Ferrari could find a better level over long stints.
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Lewis Hamilton wants to believe in a rebound for Ferrari at the Belgian Grand Prix. After a complicated qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps, the seven-time world champion is counting on race pace to reverse the trend on Sunday.
The Ferrari driver will start from sixth position on the grid, a result that is his worst qualifying position since the Miami Grand Prix.
A Saturday disrupted by his accident in FP3
Saturday had actually started well for Hamilton. During the last free practice before qualifying, the Briton seemed particularly comfortable with his SF-26 and showed promising pace.
But in the final minutes of the session, an off-track excursion in the Fagnes sector seriously damaged the rear of his car. Ferrari then had to speed up repairs to allow their driver to participate in qualifying a few hours later.
The Scuderia mechanics succeeded in their mission, but Hamilton feels that the car was no longer exactly in the same configuration as before his accident.
“The guys did an incredible job repairing the car. These things happen, you just have to move on” explained Hamilton.
A different Ferrari in qualifying
Despite his team’s efforts, Hamilton admitted that the behavior of his car had slightly changed between free practice and qualifying.
“Something wasn’t exactly the same with the rear suspension, so the balance wasn’t the same as in FP3, where the car was really excellent” he specified.
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Nevertheless, the Briton managed to limit the damage by securing sixth place, just behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, fifth.
While Ferrari failed to compete with Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren over a flying lap, Hamilton thinks the situation could be different over the duration of a Grand Prix.
Hamilton believes in Ferrari’s potential in the race
With the long straights and particular constraints of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, tire and energy management could reshuffle the cards on Sunday.
Hamilton especially remembers the positive feelings experienced during the long stints in FP3.
“I hope so. In FP3, the car was really good and I was able to do a long stint. It behaved very well” he said.
The Ferrari driver remains aware, however, of the current limits of the car, especially in top speed.
“In the corners, the cars are incredible. It’s only on the straights that it’s not ideal” analyzed Hamilton.
With several drivers penalized on the grid and a race often unpredictable at Spa, Hamilton hopes to turn a frustrating qualifying into an opportunity to score big points for Ferrari.
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