Lewis Hamilton Lights the Fire: Mystery 08.08 Announcement Teased After Belgian GP

Laurent Mekies took charge of Red Bull Racing for the first time at the Belgian Grand Prix, overseeing a suite of RB21 upgrades and navigating the team's transition after Christian Horner's departure. Max Verstappen claimed a resounding Sprint win, while Red Bull's new front wing, sidepod inlets, suspension revisions and more delivered clear gains on track.

Despite those improvements, Mekies was candid: the package "brings performance … but not enough," and the team still trails McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. Inside the Energy Station, staff report a noticeably calmer atmosphere as Red Bull 2.0 shifts focus away from internal friction toward on-track results.

Oscar Piastri's rain-soaked triumph at Spa-Francorchamps has reignited questions over the FIA's approach to wet-weather race management.

• Over an hour's delay: Heavy rain forced organizers to run four safety-car laps before the green flag, prompting Max Verstappen to call for an on-time start and Lewis Hamilton to suggest an earlier resumption.

• Safety first: Drivers themselves had urged caution after a serious wet-race crash at Silverstone, and Spa's history of fatal junior-category accidents reinforced the need for prudence.

With Formula 1 heading to Hungary next week, the balance between spectacle and safety remains under the spotlight.

Lewis Hamilton has teased a major announcement on August 8, posting a mysterious Instagram story featuring an open matchbox emblazoned with "08.08" and the caption, "We've struck the match. Now follow the smoke." The seven-time world champion's teaser follows a difficult Belgian Grand Prix in which he qualified 18th for the sprint and 16th for the main race, then started from the pit lane to recover to seventh.

Retirement appears unlikely, as Hamilton remains under contract with Ferrari through at least 2026. In recent weeks, he has spent several days at the Maranello factory—holding high-level meetings with chairman John Elkann, CEO Benedetto Vigna, team principal Fred Vasseur and technical heads—submitting detailed development reports on both the current SF-25 and the 2026 car.