Lewis Hamilton faces tough criticism after Belgian GP struggles
Former car designer and F1 pundit Gary Anderson didn’t mince words about Lewis Hamilton following Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. Despite climbing to seventh place and earning Driver of the Day honors, Hamilton’s performance wasn’t enough to overcome a disappointing weekend.
It’s the second straight race where Hamilton was knocked out in Q1 qualifying.
The seven-time world champion stirred controversy before the race weekend by revealing he had sent “documents” to Ferrari outlining needed improvements. Hamilton, who joins the Italian team next season, specifically focused on their 2026 project—the year many expect Ferrari to bounce back from their current slump.
“I was also concerned when I read last week that Hamilton had been sending memos to Ferrari on where they need to be better,” Anderson wrote in his analysis for The Telegraph.
“You might think that is just a driver trying to help his team improve, but from my experience that is not what you should do.”
Anderson believes Hamilton’s approach was all wrong.
“You should sit down in a meeting with the relevant people and thrash it all out in person. That way people can have their input, be honest and have a constructive conversation about progress.”
The pundit warned that sending such sensitive feedback via email risks misunderstandings that could damage relationships—exactly what Hamilton doesn’t need right now as he prepares for his Ferrari move.
“Another fault is that in writing e-mails you can unintentionally say something that can be read not in the spirit it was intended,” Anderson explained. “That can be detrimental to building a better relationship which is what Hamilton needs to be doing right now.”
## Leclerc comparison raising questions
Anderson also suggested Hamilton might be feeling the heat from his future teammate Charles Leclerc.
“Perhaps Hamilton is also discovering just how good Leclerc is. His team-mate has been at Maranello since 2019 and is their great hope. Hamilton still has the talent to do well for another couple of years, but Leclerc is currently as good if not better.”
The numbers back this up. After Belgium, Hamilton now trails Leclerc by a full 30 points in the standings.
Even more telling? Leclerc has scored five podiums this season, while Hamilton hasn’t stood on the podium once.
Looking ahead, Hamilton hopes for a stronger second half of the season. He confirmed to media, including GPBlog, that he’ll be working with a new race engineer when racing resumes—perhaps a sign he’s searching for a fresh start before his big move to Ferrari.
