Lewis Hamilton Finally Does It! Ferrari Star Claims First Victory in Red at the Spanish Grand Prix

Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton celebrates his historic milestone on the podium at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photo Credit: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram

If you have been holding your breath to see Lewis Hamilton take the top step of the podium in Ferrari red, you can finally let it out. The seven-time World Champion has secured a magnificent maiden victory for the Scuderia at a sweltering 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, delivering a tactical masterclass in tyre management and race strategy to break Mercedes’ recent winning streak. In what was the hottest race of the year so far, the 41-year-old Briton also entered the history books as the oldest Grand Prix winner since Jack Brabham in 1970, proving to the world that his world-class calibre remains entirely intact.

Starting from second on the grid, Hamilton and Ferrari opted for an aggressive tyre strategy, launching on the soft compound while most of the front-runners chose mediums. Pole-sitter George Russell held the lead at the start, but the blistering track temperatures caused severe tyre degradation across the field, forcing teams to balance outright pace with rubber preservation. Ferrari’s pit wall executed a flawless three-stop strategy, and the turning point arrived when Hamilton capitalised on a Virtual Safety Car period for a seamless final pit stop. Returning to the track on fresh hard tyres with a three-second advantage, he unleashed a series of brilliant laps to finish nearly 20 seconds clear of the field.

Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari team pose with the first-place winner’s trophy following the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. Photo credit: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram 

Mercedes driver George Russell crossed the line in second place, while reigning World Champion Lando Norris secured third for McLaren, marking the first all-British podium in Formula 1 since 1968. Current championship leader Kimi Antonelli suffered a mechanical failure mid-race, forcing a premature retirement from the top three and opening the door for Hamilton to capitalise fully.

Top three finishers George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris gather after securing an all-British podium in Barcelona. Photo Credit: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram

Speaking immediately after his landmark victory, an emotional Hamilton reflected on the journey to this milestone, saying: “I started out with a dream last year, which seemed almost impossible during my time last year. 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.”

Praise flooded in from around the paddock, including from runner-up George Russell, who noted: “Huge congrats to this guy because I know how hard he works. We spent a lot of years together at Mercedes, so I’m really pleased to see him back to the Lewis I remember when I was growing up watching Formula 1.” Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur also praised Hamilton’s clinical composure throughout the 66-lap race, adding: “Today he was managing the situation very well – as soon as we were adjusting the strategy, he was pushing more or less. He was very outstanding today.”

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in a red Ferrari kit celebrates on the ground surrounded by cheering Scuderia Ferrari team members. Photo Credit: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram

With this landmark victory, Hamilton has closed the gap on Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ Championship standings, setting up a highly anticipated title battle as the European leg of the F1 season gets fully underway.

Catch the highlights below