Lewis Hamilton used Ferrari’s bold three-stop strategy to win the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix ahead of George Russell and Lando Norris.
Hamilton delivers Ferrari breakthrough
Lewis Hamilton secured his maiden Grand Prix victory for Ferrari with a commanding drive in the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The seven-time world champion covered 66 laps in 1:32:28.105 and finished 19.561 seconds clear of Mercedes driver George Russell. McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the podium, another 4.158 seconds behind Russell.
It was Hamilton’s first win in nearly two years. The result also halted Mercedes’ winning streak at the start of the 2026 season, making him the campaign’s first non-Mercedes winner. He earned 25 points on a costly afternoon for championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Hamilton also made history at 41 years and 158 days, becoming Formula 1’s oldest race winner since Jack Brabham won the 1970 South African Grand Prix. The victory was his first in Ferrari colours and extended his record for winning in different Formula 1 seasons to 17.
Three-stop gamble unlocks the race
Ferrari opened with an aggressive tyre call and sent Hamilton out on softs. The choice did not carry him into the lead on the opening lap, but the team stayed on its alternative strategic path and committed to three pit stops.
That decision shaped the victory. A Virtual Safety Car let Hamilton complete one of his stops at a reduced competitive cost, effectively giving the Ferrari driver a free stop relative to his rivals.
Hamilton still needed the pace to deliver. He reeled off a sequence of fast laps, steadily stretched his advantage over the Mercedes opposition and won by nearly 20 seconds despite stopping once more than Russell and Norris.
Ferrari’s pit-wall call and Hamilton’s execution settled the race at a circuit traditionally regarded as a thorough test of overall car performance. His winning margin showed how efficiently Ferrari turned the Virtual Safety Car opportunity into control at the front.
Russell and Norris complete British podium
Russell moved into second after late trouble hit the other Mercedes. Antonelli had overtaken his team-mate and was heading for the runner-up spot before retiring on lap 62 of 66. That promoted Russell to second and Norris to third.
Hamilton, Russell and Norris produced the first all-British Formula 1 podium since 1968. Norris crossed the line 23.719 seconds behind the winner and collected 15 points for McLaren.
Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull Racing, 40.497 seconds behind Hamilton. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took fifth, while Isack Hadjar brought the second Red Bull home in sixth, one lap down.
Pierre Gasly secured seventh for Alpine. Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad finished eighth and ninth, with Franco Colapinto taking the final points-paying place in 10th.
Penalties and retirements reshape the order
Colapinto originally finished eighth on the road but was handed a 10-second penalty for failing to slow for yellow flags. The sanction dropped the Alpine driver to 10th and moved Lawson and Lindblad up one place each.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto placed 11th, followed by Williams driver Carlos Sainz, Haas racer Esteban Ocon and Cadillac’s Sergio Perez. Alexander Albon was not classified after completing 55 laps.
Antonelli was one of seven official retirements. He also received a five-second penalty for repeatedly leaving the track without a justifiable reason. Ferrari did not have a flawless afternoon either, with Charles Leclerc retiring after 62 laps.
Oliver Bearman, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll also failed to reach the finish. Much of the attrition came late, with Antonelli’s retirement altering the podium and costing Mercedes a stronger points haul.
Championship impact after Barcelona
Hamilton cut Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings to 41 points. The Ferrari driver banked the maximum 25 points, while the Mercedes championship leader departed Barcelona without scoring.
Mercedes still held control of the constructors’ championship. Ferrari trimmed the gap by seven points, although Leclerc’s retirement partly offset Hamilton’s victory, while Russell scored 18 points for Mercedes.
McLaren recorded the best two-car return among the leading teams. Norris and Piastri combined for 25 points, while Verstappen and Hadjar delivered 20 for Red Bull.
Barcelona gave Ferrari and Hamilton their first win of 2026. After Mercedes swept the season’s opening victories, Hamilton’s result set Ferrari’s benchmark for the races ahead.
