Hamilton takes first Ferrari win at Spanish GP as Antonelli's title bid suffers late blow

Hamilton ends drought with tactical masterclass

Lewis Hamilton claimed his 106th career win and first for Ferrari at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, finishing 4.3 seconds ahead of George Russell after a bold three-stop strategy and a perfectly timed Virtual Safety Car stop. The victory marks Hamilton's first since the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix and makes him only the third driver in Formula 1 history to win with three different teams.

“This victory means everything to me. Months of hard work and dedication with Ferrari, and we finally made it. I thank the team for the confidence and the fans for their unconditional support.”

The seven-time champion started on medium tyres but was forced into an early switch to hards as the Mercedes pair controlled the opening phase. A Virtual Safety Car triggered by Fernando Alonso's retirement handed Hamilton the decisive opportunity to pit for fresh mediums and emerge in the lead.

Antonelli's championship lead slashed

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli appeared set to extend his advantage after passing Russell for second with five laps remaining, but his Mercedes lost power exiting Turn 6, forcing immediate retirement. George Russell inherited the runner-up spot and cut the points gap from a potential 71 points to just 50.

“It's frustrating to lose points this way, especially when we had the pace for the podium. The team will analyse what failed, but we cannot lose focus on the championship.”

Charles Leclerc also retired in the closing laps with a power-steering failure, compounding a difficult day for Ferrari despite Hamilton's success. Max Verstappen finished fourth, 11.6 seconds behind third-placed Lando Norris.

Historic all-British podium

Hamilton, Russell and Norris produced the first fully British podium since the 1968 United States Grand Prix, when Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees shared the honours. Norris secured his second podium of the season with McLaren, finishing 1.8 seconds behind Russell.

“It was a race of management and patience. I felt the pressure from Kimi until his retirement, but the points are important at this stage of the championship.”

Oscar Piastri took fifth ahead of Isack Hadjar, who recorded his best result of the season. Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto delivered important points for Alpine in seventh and eighth, with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad completing the top ten.

Williams under investigation

Williams faces a double post-race inquiry over an alleged irregularity in the starting procedure. Reports indicate equipment was not fully removed from the areas around Alexander Albon's and Carlos Sainz's cars before the race began. At the end of the opening 20 laps, Albon was running 17th and Sainz 14th.

“It was a mistake on our part and we are cooperating fully with the stewards. The starting procedure is rigorous, but we take full responsibility.”

A potential penalty would further complicate Williams' 2026 season after reliability issues had already forced Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll into early retirements.