Lewis Hamilton Stunned After 'Painful' Zandvoort Crash

Lewis Hamilton's Dutch Grand Prix ended abruptly and 'painfully' on Lap 23 due to a crash that caught him by 'complete surprise'. The incident marked a frustrating end to what he felt was a promising weekend.

Why it matters

The seven-time world champion had been feeling positive about his progress with the car throughout the weekend. To retire with zero points after a seemingly solid performance was particularly frustrating for the veteran driver.

The incident

Hamilton, who was running behind George Russell in seventh, lost control of his SF-25 on the exit of the banked Turn 3. He touched the painted high edge of the corner, which had become slippery due to light drizzle. Despite attempting a correction, his left-front wheel made heavy contact with the wall, causing significant damage and forcing his retirement.

Hamilton's reaction

Seconds before the crash, Hamilton had been discussing an early pit stop strategy with his team, aiming to potentially undercut Russell. He clarified his comments after the race, stating: "I was just saying that we would have to probably try and undercut them at some point. But it was more I wanted to go long, my tyres were still feeling good. It just took me by complete surprise, what just happened there. I lost the rear end up the bank, and that was it."

Despite the DNF, Hamilton maintained that the weekend had been productive.

• "Apart from that, it's been a really solid weekend," he added.
• "And we made lots of... I felt like I made progress, just overall approach and everything."
• "And so to come away with nothing is definitely painful."