Hamilton's Belgian Challenge: A Pit Lane Start Amidst Power Struggles

Lewis Hamilton will begin the Belgian Grand Prix from the pit lane on Sunday with a fresh power unit, following a disappointing qualifying session where he ranked 16th, according to Ferrari. Last year, the seven-time Formula One world champion clinched victory at Spa with Mercedes but has faced challenges this year, including an 18th-place qualification in Friday's sprint and a 15th-place finish in Saturday's 100-kilometer race.

The British driver, who joined the Italian outfit in January and has yet to secure a podium for them, has achieved five wins in Belgium, standing on the podium in all but two finishes at the track regarded as the longest on the calendar. Hamilton expressed his apology to Ferrari on Saturday, calling his performance unacceptable.

Alongside Hamilton, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli will also be starting from the pit lane after their respective teams made engine component changes. Sunday's race is expected to have wet conditions, as evidenced by the Formula Two event, which commenced behind the safety car, and the cancellation of the Formula Three race due to the weather.

(With inputs from agencies.)