The Italian F1 media have delivered their verdict on Lewis Hamilton’s performance at the Belgian Grand Prix after a nightmare Spa weekend.

Hamilton suffered not one, but two early exits from qualifying in Belgium, and started Sunday’s grand prix from the pitlane after picking up zero points from the sprint.

However, the seven-time world champion pulled off a masterclass in the wet to come from the back of the grid and claim seventh place, rescuing what could have been a catastrophic weekend.

Hamilton’s efforts at Spa earned him plaudits from the Italian media, with publication La Repubblica giving the champion one of their highest ratings after the Belgian GP with an 8/10.

“A proud reaction was expected, and it came. Starting 18th, in critical conditions—wet, damp, and dry, he made several overtaking moves and managed to climb to seventh place,” they wrote.

“The only thing that remains is his poor connection with the Ferrari. Once he found Albon, a tougher opponent, he settled in. And he simply brought the car to the finish line.”

Italian media praises Hamilton

The Italian media have delivered a mixed reaction to Hamilton since he moved to Ferrari, with some publications calling for more from the champion while others have noted the limitations of the car instead.

Ferrari have endured a particularly tough time with the Italian press this year, with some outlets reporting that Fred Vasseur would be replaced after a disappointing start to the 2025 campaign.

The speculation forced the Ferrari team principal to publicly deny these rumours, and condemned these reports for the impact they were having on his staff.

At Spa, Ferrari’s rear suspension upgrade failed to deliver any improvement in performance, with Hamilton and Charles Leclerc still struggling to improve the feeling with their tyres.

Despite Hamilton’s heroics, Leclerc once again beat his seven-time world champion team-mate and stood on the podium for the fifth time in 2025.