Lewis Hamilton wins first F1 race with Ferrari in Barcelona
Lewis Hamilton secured his maiden victory with Ferrari at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, ending a nearly two-year win drought.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton won his first race as a Ferrari driver at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in Spain on Sunday. The triumph, his 31st race with the Italian team, marked his first Formula 1 victory since the Belgian Grand Prix in July 2024, when he was still driving for Mercedes.
The 41-year-old is currently second in the drivers' standings, trailing teenager Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who was aiming for his sixth consecutive win. In the 2025 season, Hamilton finished sixth overall, well behind champion Lando Norris of McLaren.
"I started out with a dream last year, which seemed almost impossible during my time last year," Hamilton said after the race. "But we never gave up hope. The team just continued to lift me up. We made so many changes and so many improvements. On top of that, I've got the greatest fanbase a sportsman could ever ask for. Thank you to everybody."
Race strategy and key moments
Hamilton's team executed a three-stop strategy, using tyres they deemed most effective in the extreme heat. Track temperature at the start exceeded 50°C (122°F). A free stop during a Virtual Safety Car period also aided their plan.
George Russell of Mercedes held the early lead, with Hamilton, Antonelli, Norris, and Max Verstappen following. On Lap 12, the leaders pitted for tyres. On Lap 23, Ferrari called Hamilton in for a second stop, and he closed in on the lead. After others pitted, Hamilton took a 16-second advantage. When the Virtual Safety Car appeared, Hamilton pitted again with 24 laps remaining, returning with fresh hard tyres and a lead of less than three seconds.
With five laps to go, Antonelli passed Russell for second but was forced to retire due to a broken end plate, ending his winning streak. Hamilton crossed the finish line 19.5 seconds ahead of Russell, with Norris finishing third. This marked the first all-British podium since 1968.
Russell praised Hamilton and Ferrari's progress: "Firstly, huge congrats to him because I know how hard he works... it's good to see him back to the Lewis I remember. Ferrari were mighty impressive today."
