New Delhi, July 18 -- SPA, Belgium - The apology came over team radio before Hamilton had stopped sliding.

"I've destroyed the car mate. I'm sorry," Lewis Hamilton told his Ferrari race engineer as the scarlet SF-26 came to rest at Turn 13, right rear corner folded against the barrier, the final minutes of Belgian Grand Prix free practice draining away beneath him. Ferrari had no choice but to load the car onto a flatbed and begin counting the hours remaining before afternoon qualifying.

A kilometre away in the Mercedes section of the Spa-Francorchamps paddock, Kimi Antonelli had already sealed 1:45.990 to top the third practice session for the second consecutive time this weekend. The contrast between Hamilton stopped in the gravel and...