Lewis Hamilton has confirmed a change in his engineering team was implemented prior to the Belgian Grand Prix, aiming to reverse the struggles he faced earlier in the season. The seven-time world champion showed resilience at Spa, recovering from a poor qualifying position to finish seventh, regaining some ground after a challenging weekend.

Throughout the weekend, Hamilton struggled with form, having been knocked out in the initial qualifying segment on two consecutive days and failing to score in the sprint race. To address these issues, Hamilton disclosed that a new performance engineer has joined him alongside race engineer Riccardo Adami. This new engineer previously worked with Hamilton at a former team, suggesting continuity with personnel from Mercedes.

“It’s not easy to switch engineers within the middle of the season, but it’s someone that I’ve known for years [and was] actually from my previous team with me, but not in that position,”

Hamilton explained after Sunday’s race.

“So we’re getting used to each other and having to learn super, super quick. I think the changes that we had [to the car this weekend] really caught both of us out, but I think we did a great job overnight and we’ll just get stronger and stronger together.”

Neither Hamilton nor the team have identified the new engineer by name, leaving the details of this change undisclosed.

Challenges Faced During Belgian GP Highlighted by Hamilton

Hamilton attributed his disappointing sprint qualifying performance to a mix of a newly introduced car component and brake issues, which led to a spin and relegated him to 18th on the grid. Meanwhile, teammate Charles Leclerc adapted more quickly to Ferrari’s revised rear suspension package, which contributed to Leclerc’s strong third-place finish in the main race.

Hamilton elaborated on the upgrade, explaining that it involves two separate elements, one of which was tested previously in Montreal without his participation. Leclerc had the advantage of trying that part earlier and incorporated it in prior races, giving him an edge in getting accustomed to the changes.

“Obviously with the upgrade that we have, there’s basically two elements to it,”

Hamilton said.

“One of those elements, we had it to test back in Montreal, but I didn’t end up testing it. Charles did. He ended up using part of it for a couple of races.”

He admitted that the unfamiliarity with the upgrade caught him off guard during the sprint qualifying, compounded by adapting to his new performance engineer simultaneously.

“The car was so much better to drive today. So I had a lot of fun trying to make my way through.”

Looking Ahead: Hamilton Expresses Optimism for Future Races

Despite the setbacks, Hamilton views the Belgian GP as a learning opportunity that has helped him better understand the car. He expressed confidence that this experience will enable stronger performances in upcoming events.

“I think this one is definitely one to put behind me. I definitely feel confident going forward.”

He plans to visit the factory to work closely on setups and improvements, signaling a proactive approach to overcoming current challenges.

“I will be at the factory on Wednesday. So yeah, I don’t see why we can’t have better results moving forward.”

With Hamilton’s renewed engineering partnership and clear commitment to adaptation, Mercedes and their driver look set to intensify their efforts and seek better outcomes as the season progresses.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Is Lewis Hamilton vegan?

A. Lewis Hamilton, a driver in F1 racing, openly supports veganism. He is also involved financially in companies that focus on plant-based products.

Q. Why did Lewis Hamilton quit?

A. Hamilton switched from Mercedes to Ferrari because Ferrari offered him a longer deal and a higher salary. He hadn’t won any races in 2022 or 2023 and wanted to turn his career around with Ferrari.

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 earnings. His income increased after he joined Scuderia Ferrari, the oldest and most successful Formula 1 team, this year. Additionally, his ambassador roles with Lululemon and Dior contributed to his earnings.

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?