Should Hamilton have retired? His Ferrari victory gives a crystal-clear answer

Charles Leclerc stood with his back to the screens. The Monegasque didn’t look back for a second and calmly continued his interviews in front of the international TV cameras. His body language made it clear that the Ferrari driver was frustrated about his DNF at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, and perhaps also by the fact that it was his teammate Hamilton who delivered Ferrari that long-coveted victory after years.

Leclerc was pretty much the only one who wasn’t happy on Sunday afternoon. The moment Hamilton crossed the finish line to claim his first win for Ferrari, a huge cheer erupted from the grandstands around the circuit near Barcelona. The hundred thousand ecstatic fans witnessed a great moment in motorsport; a champion many had written off several times, who with the right machinery silenced all his critics.

During his most successful period with Mercedes, Hamilton was someone you either loved or hated. There was hardly any middle ground; everyone had an opinion about the sport’s most successful driver. But in recent seasons, especially during the period when Hamilton seemed dejected and disheartened, much of the negative sentiment had faded. There was even some sympathy for the Briton at times, when he was again and again outpaced by Leclerc or earlier by George Russell.

In recent weeks, the signs were already there that Hamilton was on his way to his first win since joining the Scuderia. In a sense, no one should really be surprised that the Brit excelled in Spain, which is great for him, and certainly for the sport as a whole. This was the ultimate success story Formula 1 had been craving; in a season where Mercedes had dominated so far and there was mostly grumbling about the new generation of cars.

Hamilton took his 106th win in the competition, but it felt like his first. For the fans, who went wild in the stands, and for the old master himself. Once on the podium, the Brit became emotional and shed a tear. But he’s far from satisfied with this win.

No one should rule out Hamilton ultimately emerging as the challenger to Mercedes, just as Max Verstappen has made life difficult for the two McLaren drivers last year. With a slightly better Ferrari, Hamilton could well be the driver to snatch the seemingly certain world title for Mercedes away from the Germans.

If anyone understands that, it’s Toto Wolff. The CEO and team principal had Hamilton under his wing at Mercedes for a long time and is enjoying his revival. "I'd rather not fight with him for a title. I'm not fine with him for a title because I know what he's capable of. If he smells blood, he goes. I've seen it many years where suddenly the train, the Lewis Hamilton train, started to go and then it's very difficult to stop it," he said on Sunday afternoon.

Hamilton has now collected 115 points, putting him second in the championship. Kimi Antonelli, who suffered an unfortunate DNF, has 41 more points, and with fifteen Grand Prix weekends to go, the fight for ultimate glory seems completely open again. Hamilton knows that too. So don’t be surprised if the win in Catalonia ultimately proves to be the prelude to much more for a rejuvenated Lewis.