Lewis Hamilton secured his first victory with Scuderia Ferrari at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, a result he described as a dream come true and a moment he will never forget. Speaking in the post-race interview, Hamilton expressed disbelief at winning in the red car, recalling how he had watched Michael Schumacher win for Ferrari in 1996 and always wondered what it would be like to stand on the podium and give the team the moment to sing the national anthem. He credited the team’s dedication and the support of his fans, stating that they “rescued” him during a difficult period last year when he questioned how to find himself again.
Hamilton acknowledged that the team was fortunate with the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) but maintained that the pace was strong enough to battle for position. He noted that the VSC ultimately robbed the race of a proper battle, but after the pit stop, there was no looking back. The seven-time world champion described the car as feeling great during the last two stints, allowing him to close the gap to the cars ahead before they stopped. He offered a huge thank you to everyone back at Maranello for their work.
Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate at Ferrari, described his own race as frustrating, citing a BBW fail that caused a loss of power steering, ending his race early at turn two. Leclerc refused to take any credit for the team’s victory, stating that Hamilton and the team did the job entirely by themselves. He noted that Hamilton won with an incredible margin of 20 seconds and has been “really on it” over the last three weekends, deserving all the success. Leclerc said it is now up to him to up his game and find confidence with the car.
The race also featured a notable battle between Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, which team principal Toto Wolff suggested may have cost the team a potential win. Wolff stated that the drivers raced each other hard before Antonelli’s stop, losing an estimated four to six seconds to Hamilton. He emphasized that the team cannot compete for a championship if a car loses points every second race due to unreliability. Wolff clarified that he was not linking Antonelli’s DNF to the racing, but said the team needs to discuss how they approach racing when fighting for a win.
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur praised Hamilton’s performance, noting that the pace was present from the beginning of the weekend and that Hamilton was very in control of the situation. Vasseur described the victory as a huge boost in confidence for Hamilton and a new start for the team, but cautioned against over-enthusiasm, stating that they were not world champions today just because of one win. He highlighted that the aggressive race strategy, including a three-stop plan, was possible because the team had the pace, and that the same approach had been used from the beginning of the season.
George Russell, who finished on the podium, expressed disappointment despite feeling he had the quickest car on track during the second stint. He noted that Hamilton was very quick at the end and that catching him after the VSC was not possible. Russell said he felt “a bit empty” but acknowledged that such things happen and the most important thing is to come back stronger. When asked if Hamilton is a title contender, Russell confirmed that Ferrari is in incredible form, both reliable and quick, and that his team needs to maximize every opportunity moving forward.
