Lewis Hamilton reigns supreme in Barcelona; Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc retire
Lewis Hamilton claimed his first victory as a Ferrari driver with a historic win at the Barcelona Grand Prix. For the seven-time world champion, this marks his 106th Formula 1 victory, a result that returns the Maranello-based team to the top step of the podium. Behind Hamilton were George Russell and Lando Norris. It was a bitter finish, however, for Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli, both forced to retire just three laps from the checkered flag.
At the start, Russell maintained the lead ahead of the Briton, while Antonelli had to fend off attacks from Norris. Leclerc got off to an excellent start, immediately making up several positions, while Hadjar slipped back.
In the early stages of the race, Russell set a very fast pace, while Hamilton struggled more with the softer compound. It is the Ferrari driver who initiates the first round of pit stops on lap 12; Russell follows suit a lap later, and gradually all the other drivers make their stops.
The balance of the race remains largely unchanged until lap 28, when a new pit stop window opens. Once again, Hamilton pips everyone to the post, while the two Mercedes choose to stay out on track. At this stage, Antonelli closes in on Russell, sparking a battle that also allows Hamilton and Norris to close the gap.
Between laps 37 and 38, both Mercedes cars return to the pits, adopting a different strategy than their rivals. Hamilton remains in the lead for the time being, despite having to make an additional pit stop. The turning point comes on lap 41, when a Virtual Safety Car triggered by Fernando Alonso offers the Ferrari driver the ideal opportunity to pit, minimizing lost time and returning to the track ahead of everyone else.
In the final twenty laps, Hamilton further increased his pace, gaining ground on his main pursuers with impressive consistency. The finale, however, proved full of twists and turns: Antonelli managed to overtake Russell, but shortly after was forced to stop due to a technical issue. Leclerc suffered a similar fate, having spent most of the race behind Max Verstappen and being forced to retire due to a steering failure.
The final stages took place under a Virtual Safety Car, allowing Hamilton to manage his lead until the checkered flag. The Briton thus secured his first victory with Ferrari and reignited the championship battle. Verstappen finished just off the podium, followed by Oscar Piastri and Hadjar. Rounding out the points were Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, and Arvid Lindblad.
