Ferrari launches full investigation into Lewis Hamilton’s brake failure

Ferrari has promised a full investigation into the brake-system failure that forced Lewis Hamilton to retire from the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring after only six laps.

Hamilton started fourth and arrived at the race with a points-scoring streak that had continued through every grand prix of the season. That run ended abruptly when the brake pedal dropped under braking for Turn 5, leaving him carrying too much speed and brushing a barrier.

The seven-time Formula 1 champion said the pedal then returned to normal, before going long again a few corners later. Ferrari attempted to manage the problem from the pit wall, but the fault reappeared and left the team with no option but to retire the car.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said the precise cause remains unknown.

“At this stage, we don’t yet know the exact cause of the brake system issue that forced him to retire,” Vasseur told media after the race. “But we will investigate it thoroughly.”

He added: “The pedal was long. We tried to fix it from the pit wall, and then it happened again.”

A long pedal is typically associated with a loss of hydraulic pressure. Ferrari has also experienced recurring brake-feel issues this season, although the team has not established whether those problems are connected to the failure at the Madring. The uncertainty makes the investigation especially important, with Hamilton’s retirement exposing a reliability weakness at a critical stage of the race.

Leclerc salvages Ferrari’s weekend

Charles Leclerc limited the damage for Ferrari by finishing fourth, 29.116 seconds behind race winner Kimi Antonelli and only 0.713 seconds ahead of George Russell.

Ferrari split its tyre approach, putting one car on the soft compound and the other on the hard. Leclerc’s opening stint became the central strategic gamble: he ran the hard tyre for almost 50 laps while maintaining competitive pace.

The decision was based on the possibility of a safety car or red flag. As Vasseur explained, a red flag could have created an opportunity to fight for the win, while a late safety car might have opened the door to third place. Neither interruption arrived, but Ferrari judged the risk worthwhile and Leclerc delivered a strong execution. The decision can be viewed alongside the latest Spanish Grand Prix strategy analysis.

Hamilton remains third in the drivers’ standings on 191 points, while Leclerc is fifth on 167. Ferrari now turns its attention to the next grand prix in Azerbaijan on Saturday, September 26, with Hamilton’s brake failure likely to remain the team’s most urgent technical concern.