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Lewis Hamilton won his archetypal contention since joining Ferrari 2 years agone portion Formula 1 person Kimi Antonelli broke down astatine the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix connected Sunday (June 14, 2026).
Hamilton accrued his grounds triumph haul to 106 vocation victories with his archetypal since the Belgian GP successful July 2024 portion helium was inactive with Mercedes.
“They are each peculiar successful their ain way, but this 1 is thing else,” Hamilton said astir the value of a triumph that ended a tally of 40 races without a win.
“I watched Ferrari person each this occurrence erstwhile I was younger and wondered what it would beryllium similar to triumph successful this car. And present it has travel true.” The seven-time satellite champion took vantage of fresher tires and a superior pitstop strategy by Ferrari to overtake the pole-sitting George Russell, who finished 2nd successful his Mercedes.
Antonelli had passed his Mercedes teammate erstwhile his car came to a halt connected the way with conscionable 4 laps to go. He had won 5 races successful a row.
Hamilton broke Mercedes' grip connected the apical spot of the podium this season, which had lasted six races.
“Thank you truthful overmuch to assistance maine execute this dream,” Hamilton said connected squad vigor aft crossing the decorativeness enactment much than 19 seconds up of Russell. “Thank you for everyone pushing truthful hard astatine home, acknowledgment to my family, and to my fans who proceed to punctual maine who I am. I couldn't person done this without you.” He past stood connected his car, pumped his fist and sprinted to leap into the arms of his thrilled engineers and pit unit members.
It is Hamilton's seventh triumph astatine this track, a grounds astatine Montmelo but his archetypal present since 2021.
The 41-year-old Hamilton had been connected the rebound with Ferrari this play aft a miserable 2025 with the Italian squad, erstwhile helium didn't decorativeness connected the podium and lone celebrated a sprint contention win.
He was gathering toward this long-awaited triumph with runner-up finishes astatine Canada and Monaco. He said helium had acceptable the “foundation” with Ferrari earlier helium qualified 2nd up of Antonelli for the Barcelona race.
Ferrari opted for a three-stop strategy to springiness Hamilton fresher tires connected a way that is known to beryllium hard connected rubber, particularly with way temperatures astatine 50 Celsius (122 F). The quicker wheels had him gaffe up of Russell, who, similar Antonelli, was connected a two-stop plan, erstwhile a spot of luck sealed it for Hamilton.
A stoppage by Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin brought retired a virtual information car, and Ferrari called successful Hamilton for his last halt portion his rivals couldn't propulsion the pace, and helium emerged successful the pb with a caller acceptable of tires.
Seeing Hamilton gaffe away, Russell was near to support his presumption from Antonelli. They had jousted earlier successful the race, earlier Antonelli swept past with 4 laps to go.
Moments later, it each unraveled for the 19-year-old erstwhile his car stalled and his changeable astatine 18 points vanished.
Antonelli inactive leads with 156 points, but Hamilton has closed the spread and present has 115 with Russell connected 106.
Defending F1 champion Lando Norris was 3rd successful his McLaren, up of Max Verstappen for Red Bull successful fourth. Oscar Piastri, who won present past year, was 5th successful the different McLaren.
