Briton Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) created a surprise by winning his first victory with the Scuderia during the Catalan Grand Prix, Sunday at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit in Montmelo.
In intense heat, the seven-time world champion, who started in second position on the grid, beat his compatriots George Russell (Mercedes) and Lando Norris (McLaren).
The Italian Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), championship leader who had won the last five Grands Prix, retired five laps from the end due to an engine problem while he had just overtaken his teammate to take second place.
Hamilton (41) thus achieves the 106th success of his career in F1, the first since that obtained on the green carpet in Belgium in July 2024 after the disqualification of Russell. The last time he won by crossing the line first was three weeks earlier, in front of his home crowd at Silverstone.
After this victory and Antonelli’s zero points on Sunday, Hamilton is 41 points behind the Italian, who is now ahead of Russell by 50 lengths.
Sometimes criticized for its strategic errors, this time the Scuderia performed its part perfectly and benefited from a helping hand from destiny.
Indeed, the race, quite boring until then, changed on the 41st of 66 laps when the Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) broke down and caused a virtual safety car.
Hamilton, who was in the lead but in a strategy of three stops against two for the Mercedes, who had just pitted a few minutes earlier, jumped at the opportunity to stop and change tires. He then emerged in the lead just in front of the Silver Arrows at the start of the 43rd lap, causing a big clamor in the stands.
With slightly newer tires than Russell and Antonelli, the Briton widened the gap over the laps to fly towards his dream, his first victory in red.
The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took fourth place, ahead of the Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and the French Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), who had nevertheless missed his start, and Pierre Gasly (Alpine).
The Top 10 is completed by the Argentinian Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and the Racing Bulls of the New Zealander Liam Lawson and the British Arvid Lindblad.
