Hamilton’s First Victory with Ferrari at Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix

The long-awaited moment has come at the F1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton securing his first Grand Prix win with Ferrari.

This victory took a while to materialize, but the veteran driver was quickly met with accolades from across the paddock.

As soon as Hamilton exited his race-winning car, competitors like Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Drivers’ Championship leader Kimi Antonelli rushed over to congratulate him. Some of this praise even made its way to social media.

But that was just the start, as both old and new rivals lauded Hamilton in the press.

James Bolles, the team principal at Williams, who previously worked with Hamilton at Mercedes, expressed his admiration, stating, “Well done, Lewis. I caught up with him in Monaco, and it’s fantastic to see him revitalized. He qualified impressively and drove a stellar race—truly deserved.”

Alpine’s Flavio Briatore added, “Congratulations to Ferrari and Lewis on their win. It’s wonderful to see champions like Lewis back on the top step. A great race, well done.”

Antonelli, the driver Hamilton is pursuing in the championship, shared his respect for Hamilton, noting, “First off, I’m thrilled for Lewis as he’s worked hard for this win with Ferrari. It’s great to see him achieve that success.” This was particularly significant as Antonelli had taken over Hamilton’s former seat.

Hamilton also had two British drivers alongside him on the podium: former teammate George Russell and 2025 Drivers’ Champion Lando Norris. This marked the first all-British podium since the 1968 American Grand Prix, where Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, and John Surtees claimed the top three spots.

Both Norris and Russell were enthusiastic in praising Hamilton, recalling how they admired him during their early racing days.

“Yeah, congratulations to him,” said Russell. “I know how hard he works, and we spent numerous years together at Mercedes. I’m delighted to see him back to form. It reminds me of my childhood watching F1, but it was a tough day for me. Still, Ferrari was impressive today.”

Norris chimed in, “Firstly, congratulations to Lewis! It’s exciting to see him back on top. It’s a very special feeling to represent our country in this way. I hope he doesn’t stay this fast all season, though; it’d be nice to have some competition.”

In various press conferences, both drivers reflected on Hamilton’s achievement. Norris said, “It’s pretty cool and special. He seems to have stepped up his game lately. While we previously saw weaknesses, he’s now fully capitalizing on his strengths.”

He also mentioned, “Growing up as a Lewis fan was significant for me. His comeback with Ferrari adds to the excitement. It’s really special to finally see that partnership flourish. And sharing this podium with him and George is, wow, it hasn’t happened in 60 years!”

Adding to the praise was Hamilton’s former boss, Toto Wolff from Mercedes. He remarked, “Congratulations to Lewis. It’s been quite a while since he last won, but he orchestrated a remarkable effort to reclaim the top position. We always hoped if it couldn’t be one of our drivers, it would be him. Even after the assistance of the Virtual Safety Car, he deserved this win. I’m also happy for Fred, as being Ferrari’s team principal is no small feat.”

Whether this victory serves as a turning point for Hamilton’s championship quest remains to be seen, but it certainly resonated throughout the paddock.