Ferrari fault, not Hamilton, leads to Belgian GP pit-lane fine
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 19, 2026
Ferrari pit-lane fault
Ferrari took the blame for the pit-lane mistake that unfolded around Lewis Hamilton’s lap 20 stop under the virtual safety car. Hamilton left his box after all four tires had been changed, but he moved off before the front wing adjustment was complete. In the process, he struck a Ferrari mechanic. The mechanic was not injured, but the sequence left Hamilton running with the wrong setup for part of the stint. Stewards reviewed the stop and ruled that Hamilton was not at fault for the unsafe release. They also said the error created a sporting disadvantage for him, not an advantage.
Hamilton avoids blame
The stewards punished Ferrari only. The team was fined €30,000, with €10,000 suspended for 12 months if it avoids a similar offense. Ferrari also must submit a full report and a remedial plan to the FIA within 14 days, and it must review its pit-stop procedures. Ferrari said the error came from a late wing-adjustment instruction and unclear communication. The team said a mechanic failed to notice the green light before stepping into the car’s path. That explanation matched the chain of events seen in the pit lane, where the release came too early and left the team exposed to a costly procedural error. Hamilton had no part in the fault, and the stewards made that clear in their ruling.
Hamilton recovers
The pit-lane issue came after an early setback for Hamilton, who had already served a five-second penalty for first-lap contact with George Russell. That contact ended Russell’s race. Hamilton then had to work through the rest of the Grand Prix with a compromised stop and a car that was out of sequence for part of the stint. He still found pace late. Hamilton passed Oscar Piastri for fourth place after the stop and finished fourth at Spa-Francorchamps, less than two seconds ahead of Piastri. The result turned a messy sequence into a solid points finish, even with the penalty, the pit-lane contact and the setup issue hanging over the day.
