Hamilton chases Schumacher's record at F1 Belgian GP

JAKARTA - Lewis Hamilton is carrying a double mission to the 2026 Belgian Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix (GP) this weekend. The Ferrari racer is hunting for a victory to match Michael Schumacher's record as the most successful driver at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit while maintaining his hopes in the F1 world championship this season.

Hamilton now has five wins at Spa and is only one win behind Schumacher's record. The race in Belgium is also an important opportunity for the seven-time world champion to cut the points gap from his rivals after finishing third in the British F1 GP, behind his teammate, Charles Leclerc, and Mercedes driver George Russell.

The competition for the title is still led by Mercedes' young driver, Kimi Antonelli, who has collected 179 points from nine series. He is 25 points ahead of Russell and 32 points ahead of Hamilton.

However, the advantage began to erode after Antonelli failed to score points in two of the last three races, while Ferrari managed to win two victories through Leclerc and Hamilton.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted the reliability issues were the main reason his team lost so many points in the last few races.

"The reliability of the car has cost us points. In such a competitive championship, that's something that shouldn't happen. It's no good having speed if we don't get results," said Wolff, quoted by France 24.

However, Mercedes is still trusted to be able to return to being a threat at Spa if they manage to improve the performance of the car, especially in the straight track sector which is one of their weaknesses this season. Antonelli also bounced back from a bad result last season by winning in Monaco this season.

On the other hand, Hamilton has the opportunity to make history that has slipped out of his grasp. He actually has the opportunity to become the driver with the most wins in the Belgian F1 GP since 2008, but the victory at that time was canceled after being given a controversial 25-second penalty.

Thus, Ferrari hopes that their car's advantage on the straight track can help Hamilton stand back on the highest podium.

The competition at Spa-Francorchamps is sure to involve not only Ferrari and Mercedes. Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen are also aiming for their fourth victory in Belgium. Verstappen, who was born in Belgium, wants to bounce back after failing to get the most out of Silverstone due to damage to the rear wing.

"It can be tricky with the limitations on the straight, but historically we've done well here. So, let's see and hope for the best result," said Verstappen.

Meanwhile, McLaren came with the determination to make up for the disappointing results at the British F1 GP. The team from Woking has sweet memories at Spa after Oscar Piastri won the race last season after beating Lando Norris and Leclerc.

This weekend's race is expected to be tight again, especially the Spa-Francorchamps character which demands the energy efficiency of the car and often presents weather changes that are difficult to predict.