Trending 
Lewis Hamilton returns to one of his favourite circuits this weekend for the 20th consecutive year, aiming to secure a victory for Ferrari at the Belgian Grand Prix and equal Michael Schumacher’s record of six wins at Spa-Francorchamps.
The seven-time world champion finished third at the British Grand Prix two weeks ago, trailing his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc and fellow Briton George Russell of Mercedes. Now, Hamilton is targeting an eighth Belgian triumph.
“Reliability issues have cost us points,” admitted Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. “In a championship as competitive as this, it’s something we cannot afford. There’s no value in having pace if we don’t get the results.”
Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli currently leads the championship with 179 points, 25 ahead of Russell and 32 clear of Hamilton. However, the 19-year-old has failed to score in two of his last three races, while Ferrari has surged back with consecutive wins for both drivers.
Antonelli, who experienced disappointment at Spa last year—starting from the pit lane and finishing 16th has rebounded spectacularly this season, claiming five straight ‘maiden’ victories and even celebrating one win with a dive into the Monaco harbour.
Hamilton’s past luck at Spa has been mixed, most notably in 2008, when he crossed the line first in heavy rain but was stripped of victory after a controversial 25-second penalty. Now, 18 years wiser, he hopes Ferrari’s straight-line speed can propel him to the top, alongside Leclerc, Verstappen, and Mercedes’ recovering duo.
Belgian-born Dutch driver Max Verstappen remains a strong contender, buoyed by his home support and aiming to add to his three Spa wins.
Meanwhile, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, last year’s podium finishers, will also look to challenge on the power-hungry, fast, and weather-prone Ardennes circuit.
