Hamilton suffers brake issues in F1 race
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Lewis Hamilton retired from the Spanish Grand Prix after six laps with brake failure.
The DNF leaves him 101 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli in the title race.
Background
Hamilton started the inaugural Madrid GP fourth on the grid and briefly moved up to third past Max Verstappen on lap four. But he was soon running wide repeatedly, told Ferrari 'I've got no brakes, guys', and was told by the pit wall to bring the car back rather than stop on track. He made it to the garage but was forced to retire, ending his record as the only driver to complete every race and Sprint lap in 2026.
How it unfolded
- Sep 13, 2026Hamilton starts fourth at the Madring and battles Max Verstappen on the opening lap, briefly moving to third on lap four.
- Sep 13, 2026Hamilton runs wide repeatedly, cuts the Turns 5 and 6 chicane, locks up and goes off at Turn 20, and reports 'no brakes' over team radio.
- Sep 13, 2026The Ferrari pit wall asks Hamilton not to stop on track; he limps back to the pits and retires after six laps, having dropped to last.
- Sep 13, 2026Kimi Antonelli wins the inaugural Madrid GP from P2 on the grid, with Verstappen second and Norris third after a slow McLaren stop.
Who’s saying what
- Driver
- Hamilton told Ferrari 'I've got no brakes, guys' and 'I can barely stop the car' as the problem developed.
- Team
- The Ferrari pit wall asked Hamilton not to stop the car on track and instead make it back to the pits.
Still unverified
Some sources describe the brake problem as an 'apparent brake issue' or 'technical problems' rather than a confirmed cause; the exact nature of the failure has not been officially confirmed.