Spanish GP brake failure ends impressive Lewis Hamilton F1 2026 streak

Lewis Hamilton has been forced to retire from Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix with an apparent brake failure. 

Seven-time world champion Hamilton lined up from fourth on the grid and was running as high as third when he reported over the radio that he had "no brakes" on his Ferrari. 

Hamilton was quickly overtaken by Max Verstappen and let Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc through as he struggled to keep his ailing SF-26 out of the barriers. 

The 41-year-old Briton dropped down the order following a trip down one of the escape roads, before he came into the pits to retire on lap seven. 

Hamilton's retirement ends his impressive record of being the only driver to complete every racing lap during the 2026 season.

It also marks a blow to his already fading title hopes, with Hamilton 76 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli before the first ever F1 race in Madrid began. 

"It was already basically before that braking into Turn 5," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 of his race-ending brake issues. 

"I hit the brake, the car started stopping, and then the pedal took a step. Then all of a sudden [the] car didn't decelerate as fast as it [does] normally, and that's how I ended up carrying a lot of speed in. 

"And then just brushed the barrier. After that, [the] pedal came back, it was fine. And then I think a few corners later, the pedal went soft, so I don't really know where that's come from, but... we'll see."