Lewis Hamilton's brake failure at the Spanish Grand Prix brought an end to the longest point-scoring streak of the 2026 season, the seven-time champion having finished in the top 10 at all 13 rounds before Madring.
Ferrari retired the car early after a recurring long brake pedal, a problem that first bit as Hamilton arrived at Turn 5 and brushed the barrier.
Engineers tried to cure the intermittent fault remotely with settings changes from the pit wall, but the pedal went long again shortly afterwards and the team called Hamilton in on safety grounds.
Team principal Fred Vasseur said Ferrari does not yet know the exact cause of the failure and has launched a thorough investigation. He added that there was no sense in staying out in such a chaotic race and that the squad did not want to take any risk. The Maranello outfit has not disclosed which component was responsible.
Hamilton's retirement leaves Lando Norris with the longest surviving run of points finishes on the grid, the McLaren driver having scored points in the last eight grands prix.
"I had a good start, I didn't see Max, and I wasn't in the battle going down to Turn 5," Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365.
"But then I went into Turn 5, I hit the brake, and it started stopping okay, and then the pedal took a step, and it wouldn't stop all of a sudden.
"I ended up going wide, and that's when I tapped the barrier, but it didn't really feel bad, like a bad touch.
"Then the pedal came back, and it was fine for the next corners, and things were looking okay, and then the pedal went long."
Hamilton title hopes collapse after Madrid retirement
The zero also all but settles Hamilton's championship season.
He stays third on 191 points but is now 101 adrift of Antonelli with nine rounds remaining, and even a perfect run from here would require the Italian to collapse completely.
George Russell, on 211 points, sits between them, meaning Hamilton would have to beat both Mercedes drivers week in, week out to stay relevant at the front of the table.
Next up is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit, with practice beginning on 24 September.
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