At the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton produced a stunning comeback after starting at the back of the grid, recovering 10 positions to finish seventh. The British driver faced an uphill battle at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, where he initially qualified 16th and was forced to begin the race from the pit lane due to a last-minute power unit and setup change made by Ferrari.
Ferrari’s decision to modify Hamilton’s car under parc fermé conditions resulted in his pit lane start, but an unusual formation lap delay, caused by Race Control red-flagging the event, shuffled him to 17th on the track. Despite an hour-long pause, Hamilton made steady progress through difficult weather conditions, ultimately using a bold tire strategy to climb the field rapidly.
Strategic gambles and team decisions behind Hamilton’s progress
Hamilton’s pace was aided by an early switch to medium Pirelli slick tires on lap 12, a move that paid dividends as he gained five places immediately following his pit stop. Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, described the call as a necessary gamble given the deteriorating condition of the intermediate tires:
“It was the strategy that when you are in this situation, you have to gamble a little bit,”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
He explained that the intermediate tires were degrading rapidly, making the decision to switch to slicks critical despite uncertain conditions. Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc had been considered for the early stop, but traffic on track meant the team committed to Hamilton instead, a choice Vasseur supported:
“I think it was the right call.”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
When questioned about the dynamics between drivers and the team, Vasseur emphasized the collective nature of such decisions:
“Don’t try to split the team and the drivers. It’s always a collective decision.”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
Adjustments and driving skill fuel Hamilton’s charge forward
The team’s intervention earlier in the day to change Hamilton’s power unit and car setup added to his ability to fight through the field. Vasseur credited the downforce improvements from the revised setup as key in enabling Hamilton to make quick overtakes, especially during the crucial early laps of the race:
“I think with Lewis it was the right call, because it’s probably in the first couple of laps that you can overtake, and the downforce helped him to come back,”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
Despite Hamilton’s aggressive performance and ability to pass multiple cars swiftly, the team’s overall pace limited his ability to climb higher than seventh. Vasseur noted that difficulties in overtaking other top drivers like George Russell encapsulated the challenge Ferrari faced:
“Then perhaps we didn’t have the general pace to overtake Russell or Alban, and we were stuck behind them with the wing, but at least we came back P7.”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
Behind the scenes: Hamilton’s influence on Ferrari’s development
Before the weekend at Spa, Hamilton revealed he had engaged in multiple meetings with Ferrari’s senior personnel, providing detailed feedback on what he requires from his Formula 1 car. This interaction underlines Hamilton’s involvement beyond simply driving, which Vasseur playfully recognized in his comments after the race:
Fred Vasseur joked that Hamilton was almost “engineering the car” himself, a nod to the driver’s technical input in shaping the vehicle’s performance.
“Well, it might have been in one of those memos.”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
Team reflections and future outlook following the strong recovery
Although Hamilton’s seventh–place finish was a notable comeback given his qualifying struggles, Vasseur underscored the need for improvements to avoid similar setbacks in future races. The French team boss expressed optimism about the team’s ability to progress and emphasized the collective efforts behind Hamilton’s performance:
The mood is good, he noted, balancing the recognition of a solid recovery with the realization that stronger qualifying results are essential for podium ambitions.
Vasseur praised Hamilton’s fearless driving in challenging conditions and highlighted the importance of a better overall package if Ferrari aims to consistently contend for top positions:
“We’ll have to do a step next week, but we are all pushing in the same direction.”
—Fred Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal
Looking ahead, Ferrari intends to build on this resilience in Belgium and deliver improvements early in race weekends to support Hamilton in claiming wins, rather than relying on recovery drives.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Lewis Hamilton vegan?
A. F1 driver Lewis Hamilton openly supports veganism. He also invests in plant-based businesses.
Q. Why did Lewis Hamilton quit?
A. Hamilton supposedly moved from Mercedes to Ferrari as they promised him a longer contract and a higher salary. Additionally, he had been struggling without victories in 2022 and 2023, and was seeking a fresh start to boost his career.
Q. Why is Lewis Hamilton so rich?
A. At the same time, Forbes listed him as one of the top-earning athletes in 2025, with $80 million in total income. His earnings increased after joining Scuderia Ferrari, the longest-running and most successful team in F1, along with ambassador roles for Lululemon and Dior.
Q. Max Verstappen: Who has the bigger net worth in 2025? Lewis Hamilton, with a net worth of $300 million, surpasses Max Verstappen’s $200 million. Hamilton’s wealth is from Formula 1 earnings, endorsements, smart investments, and properties.
A. Does Max Verstappen have more money than Lewis Hamilton?
