SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium -- Lewis Hamilton said Ferrari's power advantage at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix meant Sebastian Vettel passed him as if he "wasn't there" on the opening lap of the race.
After securing pole position in wet conditions on Saturday, Hamilton had lost the lead by Turn 5 on Sunday as Vettel breezed past him on the Kemmel Straight. Ferrari was outperforming Mercedes on Spa-Francorchamps' long straights all weekend long, highligting concerns Hamilton has had for some time about the relative performance of the two cars' power units.
The Mercedes driver, who still leads the championship by 17 points after finishing second to Vettel on Sunday, said the deficit meant he was unable to defend against Vettel on the opening lap.