Lewis Hamilton achieved his first Grand Prix win for Ferrari at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, ending Mercedes’ dominance in the 2026 Formula One season. Hamilton’s strategic three-stop plan, aided by a timely Virtual Safety Car, propelled him to victory ahead of George Russell from Mercedes and Lando Norris from McLaren. This win, after almost two years, marked Ferrari’s best performance of the season.
Hamilton’s aggressive race strategy, starting on soft tires, initially hindered his lead challenge. However, Ferrari’s swift adjustment to a three-stop approach proved effective. With a well-timed pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car, Hamilton gained a crucial advantage, allowing him to build a substantial lead over the Mercedes contenders and secure a remarkable win.
The race also saw a shift in the championship standings as Kimi Antonelli, the leader, retired late in the competition. George Russell, despite facing challenges during the race, clinched second place, while Lando Norris completed the all-British podium in third position, a rare occurrence in Formula One since 1968.
Max Verstappen led Red Bull with a fourth-place finish, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in fifth, splitting the Red Bull drivers. Alpine showcased a strong performance with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto securing seventh and eighth places, respectively. However, Colapinto’s result faced scrutiny for a possible yellow-flag violation.
Racing Bulls continued their resurgence with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad finishing ninth and tenth, ensuring consecutive points finishes for the team. Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missed out on points in 11th place for Audi, ahead of Carlos Sainz. Several drivers, including championship leader Antonelli and Charles Leclerc from Ferrari, faced retirements due to mechanical issues, impacting the final results.
Aston Martin and Cadillac encountered difficulties, with Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, and Valtteri Bottas retiring from the race. Nico Hulkenberg from Audi, who was in the points contention, also failed to finish, while Haas rookie Ollie Bearman became the last retirement of the day.
