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Lewis Hamilton Reveals Brake Failure Behind Shock Ferrari Retirement at Spanish GP
Before the Spanish Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver had completed every Grand Prix and Sprint race lap of the 2026 season. His Madrid retirement was his first since the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix. The retirement was the 35th of Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career and came during his 394th Grand Prix start.
Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari had a car capable of fighting for victory at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, but a sudden brake problem ended his race after just seven laps at Madrid’s new Madring circuit.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion had started fourth and made an aggressive opening to the 57-lap race, immediately putting pressure on Max Verstappen and briefly threatening the front-running McLarens.
Instead, Lewis Hamilton’s promising afternoon turned into a nightmare as his Ferrari SF-26 developed an unpredictable braking issue that eventually forced him into retirement.
Hamilton’s Ferrari Suddenly Stopped Slowing
Lewis Hamilton said the problem began early in the race and was not simply caused by his later contact with the wall.
While approaching Turn 5, the Ferrari initially appeared to brake normally. Then the brake pedal suddenly changed, leaving Hamilton with significantly less deceleration than expected.
“I hit the brake, the car started stopping, and then the pedal took a step and all of a sudden the car didn’t decelerate as fast as normal,” Lewis Hamilton explained.
He carried too much speed into the corner and brushed the barrier. Although the initial contact did not appear serious, the problem returned several corners later when the brake pedal went long again.
Lewis Hamilton subsequently ran deep into the Turn 20 run-off area before Ferrari brought him into the pits and retired the car on Lap 7.
First Hamilton Retirement in 10 Months
The DNF ended an impressive reliability streak for Lewis Hamilton.
Before the Spanish Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver had completed every Grand Prix and Sprint race lap of the 2026 season. His Madrid retirement was his first since the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix.
It was also his first brakes-related retirement since the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix, underlining just how unusual the failure was.
The retirement was the 35th of Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career and came during his 394th Grand Prix start.
For Ferrari, the timing could hardly have been worse.
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Ferrari Had the Pace to Win
Lewis Hamilton was encouraged by Ferrari’s underlying performance throughout the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
He had challenged for pole position on Saturday, while teammate Charles Leclerc eventually led the most laps during Sunday’s race.
Leclerc finished fourth after Ferrari kept him on track in the hope of a late Safety Car creating an opportunity to challenge for the podium.
Hamilton believes the result could have been very different if his car had remained healthy.
“I think we had the car to fight for a win today,” he said, expressing disappointment that Ferrari could not convert its pace into maximum points.
He nevertheless praised the team for its work and insisted the performance suggested better results could follow.
Hamilton and Verstappen Clash Over Turn 1
Lewis Hamilton also found himself at the center of an early battle with Max Verstappen.
Starting fourth on soft tyres, the Ferrari driver made a strong launch and moved ahead of the Red Bull on the run toward Turn 1. He then briefly looked capable of challenging the leading cars before backing out.
Verstappen later complained about the incident, but Lewis Hamilton was unapologetic when asked about the battle.
“I thought it was pretty good racing, to be honest,” he said.
The exchange added another layer to a dramatic opening phase that ultimately ended with Hamilton watching the remainder of the race from the garage.
Is Hamilton’s 2026 Title Challenge Over?
The Spanish Grand Prix was a major setback for Hamilton, particularly because Ferrari appeared to have genuine race-winning pace.
His retirement also comes as teammate Charles Leclerc continues to score valuable points and the championship leaders build their advantage.
However, with more races still remaining, Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes cannot be ruled out solely because of one mechanical failure.
Ferrari’s bigger concern will be whether the brake problem was an isolated incident or a warning sign.
For Lewis Hamilton, the frustration is obvious: Ferrari had finally appeared capable of fighting at the front, only for a brake failure to end his race before the Grand Prix had properly begun.
