What began as a promising Sunday at the Dutch Grand Prix ended in heartbreak for Scuderia Ferrari HP, as both Charles Leclerc (#16) and Lewis Hamilton (#44) were forced to retire from the race following separate incidents. Despite showing competitive pace throughout the weekend, the team leaves Zandvoort without points.
A Race of Highs and Lows
Both drivers started on Medium tyres, with Leclerc making an aggressive move on the opening lap to pass George Russell for P5. Light rain began to fall around lap 15, but the track remained dry. Leclerc pitted for Hard tyres on lap 22, attempting an undercut on Isack Hadjar. Moments later, Hamilton lost control on a damp patch at Turn 3, crashing into the barriers and triggering a Safety Car. The timing of the incident allowed rivals to pit, pushing Leclerc back behind Russell.
A Virtual Safety Car on lap 30 due to debris gave Leclerc another chance to attack, and he reclaimed position from Russell at Turn 12. However, his race came to a sudden end on lap 52, just after switching to Soft tyres, when he collided with Kimi Antonelli at Turn 3.
Hamilton’s race ended earlier, on lap 22, after a snap of oversteer sent him into the wall. He had shown encouraging pace prior to the incident, including a fastest lap of 1:15.684 on lap 6.
Driver Reactions
Charles Leclerc (#16): “Today hurts. It was a difficult weekend from the start, and it ended in the worst way. 
The pace was strong, and we made progress, but the result is disappointing. Monza is next—a special place for the team and for me. We’ll give it everything to make it a weekend to remember for our tifosi.”
Lewis Hamilton (#44): “I felt good in the car and the pace was there, but I lost the rear under braking into Turn 3. The damp patch caught me out, and I couldn’t avoid the wall. 
It’s frustrating, but there are positives to take. I want to thank the team for their hard work and apologize to our fans—we wanted more today.”
Team Principal’s Take
Fred Vasseur, Team Principal: “It’s been a tough weekend. Friday was poor, but the team recovered well and had decent pace today. Lewis went slightly wider than the lap before and touched a damp patch—just enough to lose control.
As for Charles, the incident with Kimi was unfortunate, but he had shown strong pace, overtaking Russell twice and closing in on Hadjar and Verstappen. Zandvoort was never going to be our strongest track, but the pace was encouraging. We’ll regroup and aim for a stronger showing at Monza.”
Race Summary:
| Driver | Result | Laps | Fastest Lap | Tyre Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Leclerc #16 | DNF | 52 | 1:14.557 (Lap 33) | Medium → Hard → Soft |
| Lewis Hamilton #44 | DNF | 22 | 1:15.684 (Lap 6) | Medium |
