Slow lane is a pain for winless Hamilton
LEWIS HAMILTON came over the radio to ask: ‘How far off were we?’ The Mercedes man was prepared for some hard analysis, but not quite the bleak fact that was broken to him. ‘1.8 seconds to Verstappen,’ intoned race engineer Peter Bonnington, apologetically.
‘One point eight seconds!’ Hamilton repeated in a drawl of near incredulity. And that was almost certainly the end of his hopes of winning today’s Belgian Grand Prix, dashing what in theory had seemed a realistic scenario with the world championship’s two leading drivers, Red Bull’s Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, taking engine penalties which drop them down the grid.
Hamilton was only seventh best in qualifying and his team-mate George Russell eighth, 2.1sec shy. They will start fourth and fifth once the snakes and ladders of various sanctions are applied. Verstappen, who took pole six-tenths of a second and more ahead of Carlos Sainz, will start 15th and, given the magic carpet on which he sits, is as likely a victor as anyone. Leclerc will start 16th, down from fourth in qualifying.
Sergio Perez, in the second Red Bull, will share the front row with Sainz, having been third quickest yesterday. Alpine’s Fernando
Alonso, sixth quickest, starts third. It’s as easy as advanced maths, this grid lark. Hamilton was lost for answers when he conducted his post-session interviews.
‘It is quite straightforward,’ said Hamilton. ‘We were just not very fast. I didn’t have a problem with the tyres. It’s the car. It doesn’t make sense.
‘I never ever thought we would ever be two seconds off, so it is way, way worse than expected today.
‘Of course, I wish we got it right. I wish we brought the upgrades that pushed us forward and I wish we were fighting at the front. It hurts. Believe me it hurts. But at this point you have to laugh it off. I am not fighting for a championship. I cannot get too serious and too low. I have a responsibility to keep morale high and keep pushing. We can’t be discouraged. Yes, it sucks and it is slow, really slow, but we are starting fourth tomorrow, and we may have a chance to get a podium, who knows. We have to stay optimistic.’
Hamilton has won a race every season of his career bar this one. Nine races remain in 2022, including today’s over the slightly re-profiled 4.35-mile Spa track, to maintain that unique record.
Can he win here? ‘The car has not told me this weekend that it wants to win, but maybe I will have a conversation with it tonight and maybe tomorrow it will be more responsive,’ added Hamilton.