Hamilton ends 41-race winless run with first Ferrari victory in Barcelona

The victory

Lewis Hamilton took a commanding win at the Circuit de Catalunya, converting a second-place grid slot into a 19.5-second margin over Mercedes driver George Russell. Ferrari deployed an aggressive three-stop strategy while most rivals stuck to two stops, allowing Hamilton to exploit fresh tyres on a track surface that exceeded 122°F (50°C). A mid-race virtual safety car, triggered by Fernando Alonso’s stopped Aston Martin, gave Ferrari a free pit stop; Hamilton rejoined in the lead and never looked back. The victory margin was the largest of the 2026 season so far.

I started out with a dream last year, which seemed almost impossible during my time last year. But we never gave up hope. The team just continued to lift me up.

Emotional journey

Hamilton had not stood on a grand prix podium since winning the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix for Mercedes. His 2025 season with Ferrari brought no podiums at all — a career first — and he finished sixth in the standings, 86 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc. After the race, the 41-year-old spoke frankly about the self-doubt that grew during that barren stretch.

After a year like last year, there were definitely moments that I was like: ‘Sheesh, maybe it is true that when you get to a certain point, you lose it.’ I’ve proven you don’t. You always have it.

He credited his family, friends and fanbase with pulling him through the low points, telling reporters, “I came from really quite a low place to get back here.”

Ferrari’s resurgence

Ferrari brought eight upgrades to Barcelona, their second major package of the year, which transformed the car’s performance on a circuit where cornering speed matters more than straight-line grunt. Team principal Fred Vasseur pointed to Hamilton’s resilience during the difficult integration period, noting that the driver “had moments when he was down” but “kept putting the same energy into the project.” The Scuderia’s three-stop gamble was pivotal; Hamilton was able to rip through each set of tyres and, by the final stint, pulled away at over a second per lap.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, Hamilton’s old boss, acknowledged the performance.

If it’s not our turn to win, it should be Lewis. He merited that today.

Championship picture

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old Mercedes driver, had been chasing a sixth consecutive victory but retired in the closing laps with a broken endplate. That promoted Lando Norris to third, creating the first all-British podium since the 1968 United States Grand Prix (Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, John Surtees). Hamilton closed the gap to Antonelli to 41 points, with Russell now nine points behind him in third. Ferrari are permitted two engine upgrades this season against Mercedes’ one, and the first may arrive as soon as the next race in Austria.

I’d rather not fight with him for a title because I know what he’s capable of. If he smells blood, he goes.

Hamilton remained cautious about title talk, noting the power deficit on long straights. “We know we have this power deficit,” he said. “But we’ve got a great car at the core and if we keep adding performance … maybe we can narrow that deficit down.”