30 years after Schumi: Hamilton "faint" with happiness after first Ferrari victory

After a season and six races without a GP win, it's finally done: Lewis Hamilton has his first Grand Prix victory with Ferrari! A childhood dream of the Briton has now come true - and he could hardly believe his luck after the historic race in Barcelona.

Hamilton 30 years later like Schumi

Hamilton said emotionally after the race: "I was just reminded that Michael also won here 30 years ago." That's right! Crazy parallel: Michael Schumacher also took his first victory in Ferrari red at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. The race also took place in June (2 June 1996) - almost exactly 30 years ago. Back then, the German was a two-time world champion at Benetton. Great things followed for him at Ferrari, as we know. A generation later, Hamilton took his first Ferrari victory, also in Barcelona. The two seven-time winners among themselves!

Memories of Schumi races

When it came to memories of Michael Schumacher, Hamilton became quite nostalgic: "You know, I was probably sitting at home on the couch watching the race like many of you back then, with a plate on my lap, eating a sandwich or maybe chicken soup with noodles or something like that when I wasn't racing. On a Sunday, I was twelve years old. And I just looked at this red car and thought: I wonder what it's like to sit in that red cockpit?"

A tiny flaw for Hamilton: "My cockpit happens to be white, which I wasn't particularly happy about. I wanted it to be red like Michael's. At some point I'll get it red again. But yes, I wondered back then what it would be like to sit in that red car - which I got to experience last year - and then stand there in that red race suit, in first place in front of that fantastic crew singing the national anthem." And 30 years later, he was suddenly there himself.

Almost faint with joy!

Hamilton laughs: "I think we sang out of tune because they were kind of out of time with the music, but it was really incredible to witness that and see the joy in their eyes and feel it with them. I almost fainted after hugging them. My heart is bursting with joy." And he pugnaciously emphasised: "This is just the first step in our story."

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