Lewis Hamilton in tears in Barcelona: "Ferrari victory something completely different!"

The first Grand Prix of Barcelona-Catalunya brings Lewis Hamilton the 106th GP victory of his Formula 1 career, the first since Belgium 2024 (when the first-placed driver, George Russell, was excluded from the classification due to his car being too light) and Lewis's seventh at the traditional Catalan racetrack, after 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. This is also the 206th podium finish in the premier class for the record champion, which is of course also a record.

After the 249th GP victory for his Ferrari racing team (the first since Carlos Sainz in Mexico in 2024 and in Barcelona since Fernando Alonso in 2013), Hamilton is over the moon: "Grazie a tutti a Maranello! Thank you so much for making this dream possible through your hard work. To my family - I love you. To the fans - thank you for reminding me who I am. This is for you!"

686 days after his last GP victory, Hamilton threw himself into the arms of his team, exuberant as a teenager, the first well-wisher at the car - world championship leader Kimi Antonelli, his successor at Mercedes. Shortly afterwards, a handshake from Max Verstappen.

First victory with Ferrari, a very special day for the record-breaking world champion, tears of joy for the Ferrari team. Hamilton: "First of all, I have to thank the whole team. I know how hard they work every day, both at the track and at home in the race car factory. A big thank you also to Team Principal Fred Vasseur, who brought me to Ferrari."

"I had a dream, and when everything was so difficult in 2025, that dream seemed a long way off. But I never gave up. We've changed so much, we've improved in so many areas. And I have the greatest fans an athlete could wish for. They have carried me through all the difficult phases."

Hamilton, on the verge of tears: "Every win is special in its own way, but this is something completely different! For years I've seen the Ferraris win and I wondered what it would be like to win with a red racing car. And now I'm standing here. I am so incredibly grateful."

"We had a great strategy, we had flawless pit stops, the car felt fantastic - forza Ferrari!"

Where did Lewis get this new confidence after all the hardships in 2025? Lewis: "I feel like I've finally found myself again. I've worked incredibly hard in the background, both in the team and on myself."

And now? Is Lewis Hamilton's eighth world championship title possible? Lewis grins: "Well, I will leave no stone unturned. It's not over yet. But at the moment, I just want to be happy."

Nice footnote: The first all-British podium (Hamilton, Russell, Norris) since the USA 1968 in Watkins Glen, back then with winner Jackie Stewart ahead of Graham Hill and John Surtees.

How the Barcelona GP went

At 31 degrees (the track 50 degrees), everyone was expecting a race dictated by tyre wear, with at least two stops, perhaps three for some drivers.

Problem children before the start: Max Verstappen's engine overheated, the clutch in Charles Leclerc's Ferrari overheated, air in the brake system of Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes, resulting in the pedal travel being too long. A lot of work for the mechanics of these three racing teams.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on the starting grid: soft tyres, also on Nico Hülkenberg's Audi. The other drivers in the top ten on medium-hard Pirelli tyres.

Start of the hottest race so far in 2026: George Russell (100th GP for Mercedes) got away okay from pole, nothing special happened on the 740 metres to the first corner - Russell, ahead of Hamilton and Antonelli, Norris came under pressure from Verstappen. Hadjar from P6 with a terrible start back to P14.

Russell already 1.2 seconds ahead of Hamilton after one lap (of 66 laps), Hülkenberg had lost a position to Lindblad.

Mercedes driver Russell confidently in the lead, there was no sign of an advantage for Hamilton and Verstappen on soft tyres.

Top ten on lap 5: Russell, Hamilton, Antonelli, Norris, Verstappen, Piastri, Leclerc, Lawson, Hülkenberg now ahead of Lindblad.

But the German was under investigation: Off track in turn 1, possibly unauthorised advantage.

Lance Stroll's race was over on lap 6 - gearbox broken in the Aston Martin.

Leclerc overtook Piastri on lap 8: the Monegasque was now sixth.

Hadjar moved up, grabbed the two Alpine cars, but then Lindblad slammed the door on him. No presents at Red Bull.

Lap 11 of 66: Leclerc put Verstappen under pressure, it was all about P5, Russell as leader 3.5 seconds ahead of Hamilton, then Antonelli and Norris.

Hamilton came into the pits on lap 12 to change from soft Pirelli tyres to hard tyres.

On lap 12, leader Russell also pitted in response to Hamilton, also Verstappen, Russell on hard, Verstappten on medium-hard. New leader Antonelli.

While Cadillac rolled Bottas' car to the side (suspected hydraulic defect), Russell criticised the strategic approach on the radio, saying he had been made vulnerable against Antonelli. Nerves, nerves ...

Lap 17 of 66: Russell 1.8 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who is 6.2 seconds ahead of Antonelli, who in turn is 1.4 seconds ahead of Norris, Verstappen 3.6 seconds behind in fifth, then Leclerc, Piastri, Lindblad, Hadjar and Bearman, Hülkenberg in P11, just behind Lawson.

Lap 24: Hülkenberg was very close to Lawson, but the New Zealander was very wide. Nico complained on the radio: "He carried his car over in the braking zone, that was dangerous." Hülki had to make another attempt.

Russell controlled the action at the front, Antonelli was closing in on Hamilton (P2), but had the hot breath of Norris breathing down his neck.

Ferrari brought Hamilton back into the pits on lap 28: medium-hard tyres, front wing adjustment. Would Mercedes react? Because Hamilton immediately passed Piastri. Ferrari were steaming ahead, but Lewis on three stops, Mercedes apparently on two.

Antonelli received the black/white flag on lap 29: final warning for violating the track limits, again and then there would be a penalty.

Hülkenberg then out, again bad luck for the German, retirement instead of points.

Lap 31 of 66: Antonelli only 1.1 seconds behind Russell. Ferrari took Hamilton ahead of Leclerc (the Monegasque on two stops), the Italians sensed that something was going against Mercedes.

Fastest man on the track: Lewis Hamilton.

Lap 33: Russell, clearly slower than Antonelli, did not let the Italian past. In the pits, Toto Wolff's face turned ashen.

GP winner Ralf Schumacher: "That's not clever, because they are losing valuable time against Hamilton, who is travelling so fast."

Antonelli received the warning due to track limits, a hidden stable order against Russell? Either way, Hamilton was two seconds faster per lap than leader Russell. Did Mercedes gamble away the win here?

Lewis on the radio: "Am I catching up?" - "Yes, you are, keep it up!"

Lap 36: Another attack from Kimi, again parried by Russell. Norris came in for the stop. On lap 37, leader Russell finally came in, Antonelli was the new leader. He was warned on the radio to be patient. "We have to defend ourselves against Norris."

On lap 37, Kimi also pitted, his stop was slower than Russell's, so Antonelli was behind George, Hamilton the new leader, Antonelli with Norris breathing down his neck.

Hamilton was told: "Give it everything you've got for the next seven laps, this is the critical moment." Ferrari still believed they had a chance of winning.

Turn 9 was the end of the race for Alonso with Aston Martin - virtual safety car phase. Red Bull Racing immediately brought Verstappen in for fresh rubber, but nothing happened at Ferrari.

Oh, Ferrari woke up and brought Lewis in, a lap too late, some feared. But it was enough: Hamilton continued in front, then Russell and Antonelli. Applause from the grandstand. Hamilton puffed on the radio: "Super job, guys!" All this on lap 43 of 66.

Standings: Hamilton, Russell, Antonelli, Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, Piastri, Hadjar, Gasly and Colapinto.

Hamilton pulled away with the best lap of the race, but the leading Briton was under investigation for an alleged yellow flag offence.

The Tifosi sent prayers to heaven, as Hamilton was now in a commanding lead. At 16.10, the Ferrari fans were answered - Hamilton off the hook.

Antonelli put a lot of pressure on Russell, and once again team boss Toto Wolff's pulse was racing. Kimi: "I have much more speed."

Russell received the radio message: "We have to go faster here, George." Because Norris was only 1.4 seconds behind Antonelli.

Hamilton pulled away to 9.8 seconds on lap 53.

Norris received the information: "Kimi was off the track more than four times, we have reported this to the FIA, he will be penalised at least five seconds."

On lap 61 of 66, Antonelli squeezed past Russell, the Briton tried to counter, but now it was up to Antonelli to go wide.

But then disaster struck! Antonelli rolled out, the engine died, Leclerc also slowed down ("I no longer have power steering"), the Monegasque had been in the gravel, virtual safety car phase. Leclerc brought the wounded Ferrari into the pits. Third retirement in a row for poor Charles.

Hamilton drove confidently to victory, ahead of Russell, world champion Norris, then Verstappen and Piastri.

Final words from GP winner Ralf Schumacher: "We always say that a car that is fast in Barcelona is also fast on most other circuits. Ferrari has obviously done a lot of things right with the latest improvements. That really puts us in the mood for the next races."