Oscar Piastri Holds Fifth Place as Hamilton Avoids Second Belgian Penalty

Oscar Piastri holds fifth place in the Belgian Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton passed him with four laps remaining. Hamilton finished fourth at Spa-Francorchamps but was placed under investigation over an unsafe release during his only stop of the race.

What happened?

Hamilton stopped under the Virtual Safety Car on Lap 20 and served a five-second penalty for his opening-lap collision with George Russell before Ferrari changed all four tyres. He was then released while a mechanic was still attempting to adjust his front wing, with the Ferrari striking the team member and knocking him to the ground.

Why it matters for Oscar Piastri

The decision allowed Hamilton to retain fourth place and prevented Piastri from moving up a position in the final classification. Despite Hamilton missing the podium, Ferrari completed another strong weekend as Charles Leclerc finished second behind Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

What comes next?

The stewards determined that a further sporting penalty was not justified because Hamilton had stopped after the contact. Ferrari was, however, fined €30,000 for the safety risk created by the procedural failure. The team was also ordered to provide the FIA with a report within 14 days detailing the measures introduced to prevent a repeat.

Hamilton's earlier penalty followed contact with Russell at the same corner on the opening lap, which sent the Mercedes driver spinning into the gravel and out of the race. The stewards deemed Hamilton wholly responsible but reduced the standard 10-second penalty to five seconds after considering the opening-lap conditions and his attempt to avoid the collision.

"I think it was a racing incident, so I don't think there should be a penalty for that," Hamilton said. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was also critical of the punishment, stating, "I think it's mega harsh. If you have a look on the corner, Russell had enough space on the left-hand side, it's not that he was close to the wall."

Despite the controversy surrounding Hamilton's penalty, Ferrari completed another strong weekend, with Charles Leclerc finishing second behind Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc briefly led after Ferrari took advantage of the Virtual Safety Car period, but was unable to maintain the lead.

The missed adjustment left Hamilton struggling with the front end of his car during the early stages of his final stint, although his pace improved as the race progressed. He caught Piastri late in the race and completed a pass at Les Combes on Lap 40, with the McLaren driver told to remain within five seconds in case Hamilton was penalised after the finish.

Hamilton's earlier penalty was for a collision with Russell at the same corner on the opening lap, which sent the Mercedes driver spinning into the gravel and out of the race. The stewards deemed Hamilton wholly responsible but reduced the standard 10-second penalty to five seconds after considering the opening-lap conditions and his attempt to avoid the collision.

The incident occurred on 19 July 2026, during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

category: match_report