Lewis Hamilton wins first race for Ferrari at Barcelona Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton claimed his first victory for Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Sunday, ending a 40-race winless streak that dated back to the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. The 41-year-old British driver finished more than 19 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell after capitalizing on a virtual safety-car period triggered by Fernando Alonso's retirement.

Hamilton moved to 115 points in the drivers' championship, closing to within 41 points of leader Kimi Antonelli.

Race strategy and turning point Hamilton started second on the grid and ran a three-stop strategy on soft tires while Russell and Antonelli stayed on a two-stop plan. The virtual safety car on lap 40 allowed Hamilton to pit under slower conditions and emerge still in the lead with tires eight laps fresher than his rivals.

Antonelli had passed Russell for second place with five laps remaining before his car suffered an electrical shutdown between Turns Five and Six. Russell held on for second, and McLaren's Lando Norris took third in the first all-British podium since the 1968 United States Grand Prix.

Hamilton's post-race comments

“They are all special in their own way.”

But this one is something else. " — Lewis Hamilton, June 14, 2026 (BBC News) Hamilton also thanked his team over the radio, saying the win fulfilled a long-held ambition to succeed with Ferrari.

Championship implications and next round Antonelli's retirement marked his first retirement of the season and left him with 156 points. Russell sits third with 106 points. Ferrari recorded its first victory since the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix. The next race is the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, scheduled for June 26-28.