Lewis Hamilton claims first Ferrari victory with strategic masterclass in Barcelona
Lewis Hamilton took his first win for Ferrari at the Spanish Grand Prix, ending a two-year personal drought and the Scuderia's wait for a victory since the 2024 Mexico Grand Prix. The 41-year-old Brit used a three-stop strategy and a virtual safety car to fend off Mercedes rival George Russell.
How the race unfolded
Hamilton, starting from the second row, opted for an aggressive three-stop strategy while Mercedes committed to two stops. The key moment came when Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin stopped on track, triggering a virtual safety car. Hamilton dived into the pits under VSC conditions, effectively saving around ten seconds and emerging with a decisive gap over Russell.
A chaotic finish with multiple retirements
Charles Leclerc, Hamilton's Ferrari teammate, had been battling Max Verstappen for much of the afternoon before an engine issue forced him out with a few laps remaining. The second Mercedes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli also retired later, his car grinding to a halt with a technical fault – not, as initially suspected, a damaged front wing. A second virtual safety car was deployed, allowing Hamilton to cruise through the final tour.
Emotion in and out of the cockpit
After crossing the line, Hamilton screamed into the team radio.
Go Ferrari! Go Ferrari!
He then addressed his crew with a trembling voice.
Thank you so much. You helped me achieve this dream and I don't know how to thank you enough. I am so proud of you. And to my family, I love you. And to the fans, thank you for continuing to remind me who I am. I wouldn't have made it without you. Thank you and go Ferrari!
A long road back to the top step
The win is Hamilton's 106th in Formula 1, his first since the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Ferrari had not tasted victory since Mexico 2024. While the SF-26 suited the high-downforce nature of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the team still faces a power deficit to the Mercedes-powered rivals on straights. Hamilton acknowledged the gap in his post-race interview.
All my victories are special, but this is truly something unique. I have always wondered what it would mean to win with this car. I hope it's the first of many. The road is still long, there's a lot of work to do to close the gap with Mercedes.
He also paid tribute to team principal Fred Vasseur and the factory staff.
I must start by saying a huge thank you to my team, to Ferrari, to everyone working at the factory. To Fred for bringing me to this team. I started with a dream last year, then an impossible season went by, but we never lost hope, the team always tried to keep my spirits up, we brought improvements, and if that wasn't enough I have the best fans in the world and we achieved everything we dreamed of together.
Farewell to Alonso and what comes next
The Spanish Grand Prix was also Fernando Alonso's final home race, with the two-time champion retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2026. His early exit, while a sad moment for the crowd, inadvertently set the stage for Hamilton's pivotal stop. With Leclerc's DNF and Antonelli's technical failure, the championship picture remains dominated by Mercedes, but Ferrari's first win of the season injects belief that the gap can be closed.
