They said the move to Maranello was a gamble. They questioned if the magic was still there, but if there is one thing you never do, it is count out Sir Lewis Hamilton. When Hamilton stunned the sports world in early 2024 by activating his release clause to leave Mercedes, it was a shock that nobody saw coming. Trading the team where he won six of his titles to don the Ferrari red last year was the ultimate high-stakes risk, especially after a grueling transition season in 2025.
Yet, under the scorching sun at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the seven-time World Champion silenced the skeptics in spectacular fashion, storming to his historic first Formula 1 Grand Prix victory in the iconic Scuderia Ferrari HP red. Utilizing a masterful three-stop strategy and capitalizing on a lap 40 Virtual Safety Car, Hamilton crossed the finish line a massive 20 seconds ahead of his former teammate George Russell.
The triumph marks a profound milestone: his first race win in nearly two years, breaking a drought dating back to his final season with Mercedes, when he won the Belgian Grand Prix in 2024.
And this win was inevitable for Hamilton after building up a strong pace in the last few races. The writing was already on the wall one week prior at the Monaco Grand Prix, where Hamilton drove a flawless race to secure a P2 podium finish on the tight, unforgiving streets of Monte Carlo. That performance served notice to the rest of the grid that the legendary driver was locked in, comfortable in his new machinery, and that a massive win was only a matter of time.
With this emotional victory, Hamilton further cements his status as the sport’s undisputed statistical titan, elevating his record-breaking career total to an astonishing 106 Grand Prix wins. At 41 years old, he also becomes the oldest race winner the sport has seen since Jack Brabham in 1970, proving that greatness doesn’t age; it simply refines.
The blockbuster win shakes up the leaderboard, vaulting Hamilton into a clear second place in the World Drivers’ Championship standings with 115 points. While young gun Andrea Kimi Antonelli currently leads the title chase with 156 points, Hamilton has firmly positioned Scuderia Ferrari HP as a real championship threat.
With 15 Grands Prix and three sprint races left in the season, we’ll be watching closely to see what else Hamilton accomplishes.