Hamilton's 106th win sparks street celebrations across Italy as Ferrari end 2026 drought

Lewis Hamilton delivered his first Formula 1 win for Ferrari at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Sunday, triggering widespread street celebrations across Italy and marking the Scuderia’s first race victory of the current season.

The result ended a victory drought for the seven-time world champion that had lasted since the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. It was also the first grand prix of the 2026 season not won by Mercedes, breaking the Silver Arrows’ early stranglehold on the campaign.

Social media footage captured fans across Italy pouring into the streets, playing the Italian national anthem, waving Ferrari and Hamilton flags, and parading classic Italian cars — including a Ferrari Testarossa, a 1980s Ferrari 308 GTS, and a Lancia Delta HF. “Imagine when we win in Italy!” one fan wrote on X, while another added: “Imagine what they’ll do when he wins a championship.”

The win was Hamilton’s 106th career victory, a milestone he reflected on in conversation with former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg after the race. “They are all special in their own way but this one is something else,” Hamilton said. “I watched Ferrari have all that success when I was younger, watching it on TV. And as I’ve been racing here, I’d always watched the screens and wondered what it would be like to win in that car — and it’s come.”

Hamilton sits second in the drivers’ championship, 41 points behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and nine points clear of George Russell in third. Despite the gap at the top, Hamilton declined to rule out a title challenge. “There is a long, long way to go and they’ve still got great pace, as you can see. But we are going to keep working and trying to close that gap,” he said. “It’s not over, that’s for sure.”