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Hamilton Wins First Race for Ferrari in Barcelona and Becomes Oldest Grand Prix Winner in 56 Years

Ferrari's upgrade package and a well-timed virtual safety car delivered the win that tightens the 2026 title fight and forces Mercedes to address reliability and intra-team conduct, strategy.

Overview

  • Last Sunday Lewis Hamilton took his first Grand Prix victory for Ferrari, his 106th career win, ending a 686‑day drought and becoming the oldest winner in the modern era at the BarcelonaCatalunya circuit.
  • Ferrari’s large upgrade package produced an immediate pace gain and Hamilton used an aggressive three‑stop strategy combined with a virtual safety car window to undercut rivals and build a decisive lead.
  • Kimi Antonelli retired with a late technical/power‑unit problem that removed a key challenger and reshaped the drivers’ standings, leaving Hamilton second in the championship, 41 points behind Antonelli and nine points ahead of George Russell.
  • Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he will hold meetings with his drivers to discuss how they race each other and signalled a review of team orders after recurring retirements and intra‑team losses undermined the team’s title bid.
  • Ferrari principal Fred Vasseur urged caution about calling his team favourites, Italian fans celebrated on the streets, and Hamilton described the win as validation after a year of self‑doubt while the season’s outcome remains tied to further development.