Hamilton wins first race for Ferrari as Elkann hails 'emotional moment' in Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton delivered his first win for Ferrari at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday, crossing the line 19 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell to end his wait for a victory in red.

The 40-year-old started from second on the grid and executed a three-stop strategy that, aided by a well-timed virtual safety car, gave him clear track position over Russell. The margin at the flag left little doubt about Hamilton’s pace on the day.

Ferrari chairman John Elkann was quick to respond with a public statement. “Well done Lewis, on your first great victory with Ferrari: an emotional moment and a very important result, which belongs to the entire team and to all our fans,” Elkann said. “I would like to thank everyone for the determination, sacrifice and collective effort that they demonstrate every day with passion and Ferrari spirit, both at the track and in Maranello.”

Elkann also acknowledged Ferrari’s other racing programme, adding: “My thanks also go to the other Ferrari team, which tackled an incredibly demanding 24 Hours of Le Mans with pride, unity and great professionalism, fighting until the very end. Forza Ferrari.”

Hamilton’s voice broke over the team radio as he crossed the line. “Grazie a tutti, Maranello,” he said. “Thank you so much. You’ve helped me achieve this dream, and I can’t thank you enough. Thanks for everyone pushing so hard back at home. I’m so proud of you. To my family, I love you. To my fans, thank you for continuing to remind me who I am. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Hamilton joined Ferrari at the start of 2025 after 12 years at Mercedes, a spell in which he won six of his seven world championships. His debut season with the Scuderia was difficult, but the 2026 campaign has seen a marked resurgence.

He now sits second in the drivers’ championship, 41 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli, and nine points clear of Russell in third.