Hamilton effectively out of the 2026 F1 title fight after Spanish GP DNF
Lewis Hamilton has conceded that Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes may be out of reach this season after a brake failure forced his retirement from the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion had, at times, been Antonelli’s closest challenger in the championship. Hamilton was within 32 points of the Mercedes driver after the British Grand Prix two months ago, but arrived in Madrid 76 points adrift.
His race ended on lap six. Hamilton initially told Ferrari that his brake pedal was feeling long before reporting a complete loss of braking performance. Asked by Sky whether Antonelli now appeared “hard to stop”, Hamilton gave a blunt assessment: “There’s no stopping him and Mercedes this year. I think they’ve done a phenomenal job and they deserve it.”
Antonelli’s position at the head of the championship was reinforced by his Spanish Grand Prix victory, as detailed in our report on his win at Madring. For Hamilton, however, the weekend became another lost opportunity in Ferrari’s attempt to stay within reach of Mercedes.
Brake problem cuts Hamilton’s race short
Hamilton retained fourth place at the start in Madrid, but Max Verstappen briefly moved ahead after cutting the opening chicane. Verstappen was later instructed to return the position, prompting angry radio messages from the Red Bull driver.
Hamilton described the exchange as “pretty good racing to be honest”. When asked about Verstappen’s complaints, he responded: “Nothing to do with me.”
The Ferrari driver said the brake problem fluctuated before becoming terminal. “Braking into Turn 5, I had hit the brake, the car started stopping and then the pedal took a step and the car didn’t decelerate as fast as it would normally and I ended up carrying a lot of speed in and… brushed the barrier,” Hamilton explained.
“After that, the pedal came back, it was fine, and then a few corners later the pedal went long. Don’t really know where that’s come from.”
Baku presents another Mercedes challenge
Hamilton expects Mercedes’ advantage over Ferrari to remain significant at the next race in Baku. The circuit’s long straights leave him uncertain about the exact competitive picture, but he said he would continue to push.
“It’s long straights there, so I don’t really know what to expect at that track, but I’ll give it everything,” Hamilton said. “Mercedes will be very strong for me.”
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.