Hamilton Eliminated Early in Belgium GP Qualifying Despite Ferrari Upgrades

Lewis Hamilton experienced a highly frustrating weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix, marked by early exits in both the sprint qualifying and the main qualifying sessions. Despite Ferrari introducing significant rear suspension upgrades aimed at improving the car's drivability and performance, Hamilton struggled to adapt, culminating in a spin during sprint qualifying and a track limits violation that eliminated him in Q1, leaving him to start 16th on Sunday. Hamilton acknowledged the errors and expressed deep frustration, calling it a 'very, very poor performance' and conceding that the SF-25 remains difficult to drive despite the updates. His teammate Charles Leclerc fared better, securing third on the grid, but the overall performance gap to pace-setter McLaren remained substantial. Ferrari's upgrades, while intended to address issues like excessive plank wear and handling difficulties, have yet to yield immediate gains, and Hamilton's uncharacteristic mistakes underscored the challenges faced during the critical upgrade weekend. The disappointment was compounded by Hamilton's admission that this was the first time in his career he had lost control of the car in such a manner, highlighting the unusual difficulties posed by the new setup and track conditions.