Hamilton ends Ferrari drought with dominant Barcelona victory on three-stop strategy

Lewis Hamilton delivered his first victory in Ferrari red at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, crossing the line 19 seconds clear of George Russell to end a wait that had stretched across an entire debut season with the Maranello outfit.

The 41-year-old seven-time champion started from second on the grid and executed a three-stop strategy to perfection, building an advantage that left no doubt about the result. It was a milestone that prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans across social media, with many describing the moment as a “true masterclass.”

“Beat the field on pace and strategy,” one fan wrote, while others simply posted “I am crying” and “I didn’t think this day would come, but he’s done it.”

The victory was tinged with disappointment for Ferrari’s other side of the garage. Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the race after suffering power steering issues, denying the Scuderia a potential one-two finish. Fans of the Italian team were nonetheless quick to celebrate. “I feel horrible for Lec as his fan, but first and foremost, I am a Ferrari fan,” one supporter wrote. “A win is a win, it’s good to see Lewis back in form.”

Hamilton joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season after 12 years at Mercedes, but struggled to adapt to the car during his first campaign with the Fred Vasseur-led team. The 2026 season has brought a marked turnaround in form, and Sunday’s result in Barcelona represents the clearest sign yet that the partnership is finding its footing.

One fan noted the remarkable breadth of Hamilton’s career, pointing out that he now appears on both the top-ten youngest and oldest winners lists in Formula 1 history — a detail that captured the scale of what the Briton continues to achieve deep into his forties.