Hamilton wins first grand prix for Ferrari

· BBC Sport
The previous all-British podium was at the 1968 US Grand Prix when Jackie Stewart won from Graham Hill and John SurteesGetty Images

By
Andrew Benson
F1 Correspondent
Published

Lewis Hamilton took his first victory for Ferrari in a compelling Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix as championship leader Kimi Antonelli retired from second place with four laps to go.

It was a dramatic end to a gripping race that had tension and jeopardy throughout as Hamilton secured his first victory since the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, when he was still driving for Mercedes.

The win turned on a virtual safety-car (VSC) period which allowed Hamilton, on a different pit-stop strategy to Mercedes, to pit and retain the lead.

Meanwhile, Antonelli had just passed Russell for second place with five laps to go after a race-long battle when his car ground to a halt with a technical problem.

Russell finished second and McLaren's Lando Norris was third in the first all-British podium since the 1968 US Grand Prix.

The key stories of a momentous race were:

  • Confirmation of Hamilton and Ferrari's return to the front
  • Antonelli's first problem of the year providing much-needed luck for Russell
  • A touch of irony as to the cause of the VSC that turned the race for Hamilton

Without the VSC, Hamilton's three-stop strategy, compared with the two of Russell and Antonelli, would have had him catching the two Mercedes and contesting for the victory in the closing laps.

Instead, the VSC allowed him to save 10 seconds on a stop, and come out still in the lead, and then pull away on fresher tyres.

Hamilton's victory, in combination with Antonelli's retirement, narrowed the seven-time champion's deficit in the championship to 41 points.

Russell also closes in on Antonelli and is now 50 points behind the Italian.

  • More to follow

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