Lewis Hamilton recovers at Spa and speaks out on Gaza

Lewis Hamilton recovered from a nightmare start to his Belgian GP weekend to finish seventh on Sunday, but his strongest statements may have come off-track.

The seven-time world champion stormed through the field in wet conditions after a Q1 exit on Friday and a spin in sprint qualifying, finally showing signs of adapting to Ferrari’s upgraded rear suspension, which Charles Leclerc used to reach the podium.

"I'm very relieved that I was able to perform in the race as I expect from myself," Hamilton said. "The first two days here were poor, but luckily the third made up for that disappointment a little. I grew up in the rain and learned to love racing on wet tracks."

Team boss Frederic Vasseur praised the 40-year-old's effort: "It was a very aggressive drive," he said, before joking about Hamilton’s late-race battle with Alex Albon. "I think we could have driven the 24 Hours of Spa and still stayed behind Albon."

Hamilton, who had issued a public apology after his qualifying error, doubled down on accountability: "I would like to apologise again to the fans, but I'm in good spirits. We scored a lot of points, especially against Mercedes, and I've gained a better understanding of all the improvements to the Ferrari."

Off-track, Hamilton used the Spa weekend to speak out on the worsening crisis in Gaza. In a series of Instagram stories, he called for a ceasefire and highlighted humanitarian appeals from UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and medical NGOs.

"The silence and lack of action from the international community will be judged by future generations," he wrote. "Those in power must do everything they can to end this suffering, and they must do it now."

Speaking to RTBF, Hamilton reflected on the personal weight of racing in red. "I love being in red. I still have to pinch myself. I think, 'I'm driving for Ferrari.' It's phenomenal."

But he admitted the experience has been more intense than anticipated. "I was expecting energy, but this, it's even more intense than I imagined."

He also spoke about the personal sacrifices behind his career success: "I don't want to have any regrets. For the last ten years, I've focused on my health, my well-being, my mental health and my driving technique."

On criticism of his activism, Hamilton was clear: "I'm sometimes told, 'Shut up and drive.' But that's not me. I drive, yes, but I also do more, I can get into the right rooms and have difficult conversations. That's how I'm made."