F1 2026: Lewis Hamilton ends Ferrari’s wait, storms to Barcelona GP victory

Lewis Hamilton finally celebrated his first victory as a Ferrari driver after winning an action-packed Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona-Catalonia, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli saw his race end in heartbreak with just a few laps to go.

The race remained tight until the closing stages when Hamilton ended his long wait for a Formula 1 victory. It marked the seven-time world champion’s first triumph since the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, which came during his final season with Mercedes.

The decisive moment came when a late virtual safety car reshaped the race. Ferrari’s strategy paid off perfectly, allowing Hamilton to pit without giving up track position and maintain control at the front of the field.

Antonelli had just moved up to second behind him after passing George Russell after an intense battle that lasted most of the afternoon. However, the young Mercedes driver’s charge came to an abrupt halt when a mechanical problem forced him to retire with just a few laps remaining.

Russell inherited second after Antonelli’s retirement, while McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the podium in third.

It also resulted in a rare All-Britain treble, the first time drivers from Britain had taken every podium in a Formula One race since the United States Grand Prix in 1968. It was Hamilton’s first win in two years and, aged 41, he became the oldest Formula One winner since Australian Jack Brabham in 1970.

Brabham won

BARCELONA GP: RACE RESULTS

1 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
2 George Russell (Mercedes) +19.5s
3 Lando Norris (McLaren) +23.7s
4 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +40.4s
5 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +58.6s
6 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1 lap
7 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1 lap
8 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1 round
9 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +1 lap
10 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1 round
11 Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) +2 laps
12 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +2 laps
13 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +2 laps
14 Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) +3 laps
DNF Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
DNF Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
DNF Oliver Bearman (Haas)
DNF Alexander Albon (Williams)
DNF Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
DNF Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
DNF Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
DNF Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

– The end

Published on:

14 Jun 2026 20:25 IST