Lewis Hamilton says first Ferrari win ‘beyond wildest dreams’
Lewis Hamilton clinched his first win as a Ferrari driver in Barcelona (David Davies/PA)
Lewis Hamilton admitted the emotion of his first win as a Ferrari driver was “beyond his wildest dreams”.
The seven-time world champion delivered a superb drive to win the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, his first success in 686 days and 41 races.
Hamilton became the oldest F1 race winner since Jack Brabham in 1970 but it was the realisation of a dream of winning in red that had the 41-year-old so emotional on the podium.
Hamilton, with a croaky voice after the post-race celebrations, arrived at the post-race press conference after George Russell and Lando Norris – his colleagues on a first all-British podium since 1968 – and underlined what his maiden success for the Scuderia meant.
“I think it will take me some days… I will look back at this and wish I had the right words but how do you find the right words to express an emotion that is beyond your wildest dreams?” Hamilton said.
“I feel a lot of gratitude and pride in the people I work with. Seeing them sing the national anthem today was an incredible feeling, just the best.”
Hamilton’s first win for Ferrari comes at the same track where his fellow seven-time champion Michael Schumacher took his 30 years ago.
“I was at home watching that with a plate on my lap. Just sitting there wondering what it would be like sitting in that red cockpit, what it would be like to sit in that red car,” Hamilton added.
“Being in a red suit standing in front of that crowd singing the national anthem, it was amazing to witness the joy in their eyes.
“I think this is the first step of our story.”
Hamilton joined Ferrari to much fanfare ahead of last season, leaving Mercedes where he had won six of his seven titles, but struggled to get to grips with the car and at moments appeared desperately low.
“I truly believed in my decision to join Ferrari and what we could achieve together. It started out with lots of excitement, then lots of doubt and negativity followed throughout the whole year,” he said.
“There were moments where I thought I would never get to win again. After a year like last year there were moments when I thought ‘sheesh, maybe it’s true that you get to a point where you lose it’.
“I have proven that you don’t, you always have it.
Who else missed this!? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/fuQmSwnULN — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) June 14, 2026
“I am only human so there are moments where I see the comments and for sure there are moments where I allowed it to get to me but then I went through a sequence of unplugging from that matrix.
“The thing I know is to never second-guess yourself, never doubt yourself.
“I rebuilt my mind to get me back to the point where I was. It’s a great feeling to stand on that podium.
“I am probably going to sleep in this red top tonight. It’s great to have that horse (logo) at the top.”
Russell looked on course to win for the first time since the opening day but Hamilton and Ferrari turned the tables with a three-stop strategy.
Russell struggled after a strong start from pole and was passed late on by Kimi Antonelli, before the championship leader’s engine expired.
That allowed Hamilton to slash Antonelli’s title lead to from 66 points to 41 but he is remaining calm about the prospect of a title tilt.
“Honestly with the way the year started out I have not really been thinking about it like that,” he added.
“Very hard to think long-term at the moment – one race at a time, one week at a time. We need to keep pushing and enjoy it, have fun with it as well.”
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