Ferrari Rushes to Repair Hamilton Car After Belgian GP Practice Crash as Norris Takes 10-Place Penalty

Q: With Hamilton crashing and rivals penalized, is the title race now Kimi Antonelli's to lose?

Not yet, but the weekend has clearly tilted in Kimi Antonelli’s favor. Antonelli already leads the championship on 179 points, ahead of George Russell on 154 and Lewis Hamilton on 147, and he has arrived at Spa in strong form after topping practice. Hamilton’s crash in final practice is a serious setback because Ferrari must rebuild a heavily damaged car before qualifying, and even if repairs are completed, lost track time at Spa is costly. If Hamilton starts lower than expected or struggles in the race, Antonelli’s 32-point cushion over him could grow quickly. The other major factor is Lando Norris’s 10-place grid penalty. Norris is further back in the standings, so this does not directly redefine the title fight on its own, but it removes another potential race winner from the front and improves Antonelli’s chances of maximizing points. Additional penalties for Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll further reduce pressure around him this weekend. Even so, calling it “Antonelli’s to lose” is still premature. Russell remains only 25 points behind, Mercedes has had reliability concerns of its own, and Spa is one of the most unpredictable circuits on the calendar because of weather, safety cars and overtaking swings. One bad result can change the picture quickly. What has changed is the balance of this round: Antonelli now has a clear opportunity to strengthen his lead, but the championship is not close to settled.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 18

Ferrari was scrambling Saturday to rebuild Lewis Hamilton's car before Belgian Grand Prix qualifying after he crashed in the final practice session at Spa-Francorchamps.
Hamilton ran wide through a gravel trap and clipped the barrier with his rear-right wheel, smashing the suspension and damaging the back of the Ferrari.
“I've destroyed the car, mate, sorry,” the seven-time champion told the team over the radio before watching the rest of practice from behind the wall.
Qualifying could still be reshaped by penalties elsewhere, with defending champion Lando Norris carrying a 10-place grid drop and Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll also sanctioned.