F1 LIVE | Reactions to Hamilton's first Ferrari win, as Antonelli suffers Barcelona GP DNF
Photo: Race Pictures
08:01, 15 Jun
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sportβs biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
The Barcelona GP saw history made, as Lewis Hamilton secured his first-ever Ferrari win in Catalunya. The seven-time world champion's 106th Grand Prix win was the first of any non-Mercedes driver in the 2026 season. Make sure to follow GPblog's live coverage of all the reaction to the Barcelona-Catalunya GP!
Hamilton delivers touching first reaction after maiden Ferrari win
An aggressive three-stop strategy and some good fortune under the VSC saw Hamilton take his first ever win in Ferrari red, and after a tough 2025 debut season, the Briton was understandably full of emotion.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton said: "First I have to start and say a huge grazie to everyone here. My team here at Ferrari, everyone back at the factory. Fred for believing in me and bringing me to this team. I started out a dream which seemed almost impossible during my time last year but we never gave up hope and the team continued to lift me up. We made so many changes and we made so many improvements. On top of that, I have got the greatest fanbase a sportsman could ever ask for and so thank you to everybody."
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Asked to rank his latest victory among the 105 wins prior, Hamilton replied: "They are all special in their own way but this one is something else. I watched Ferrari have all that success when I was younger, watching it on TV. As I've been racing here, I'd always watched the screens and wondered what it would be like to win in that car - and it's come."
More history was made in the fact George Russell and Lando Norris joined Hamilton on the podium in Barcelona. The British trio are the first to appear on the podium since Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees at the 1968 United States Grand Prix.
McLaren's Norris reflected on Hamilton's win: "Itβs pretty special. Itβs nice. You know, the last few weekends heβs certainly seemed to have upped his game and as much as it, yeah, was something we once could kind of take advantage of and try and make the most of, it seems like heβs making the most of what heβs got now, and thatβs cool to see.
"I grew up as a fan of Lewis and I donβt know if I would still say Iβm like that kind of fan, but Iβm still a fan of him. And as a seven-time World Champion, itβs always a pleasure to see those kinds of things. And with Ferrari again, itβs even cooler to kind of see that partnership come through and kind of pay dividends, as it is doing now. So, yeah, special."
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Photo: Race Pictures
Antonelli feeling "empty" after Barcelona GP DNF
It was a bad day for Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli, whose Barcelona GP came to a cruel end via a battery failure on Lap 62. Antonelli had just passed teammate George Russell for P2 with just four laps to go before his race was brought to a heartbreaking halt.
Antonelli did take some consolation from his pace throughout the Barcelona GP, and also made sure to congratulate Hamilton when speaking to Sky F1, but admitted the DNF had left him feeling "empty." The 19-year-old's lead over Hamilton in the championship has also been cut to just 41 points.
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He told Sky F1: "I think we were the quickest on track today. Okay, Lewis, at the end, he was very quick, but second stint we were super quick. The way we came back from the battle. And yeah, the pace was good. Of course, Lewis after the VSC was not possible to catch. By the way, I'm very happy for him for his win. It's good to see that he got his first win with Ferrari.
"But on my side, yeah, very disappointing. I feel a bit empty, to be fair, right now. But at the same time, these things happen. Happens to everyone. And the most important is to come back stronger."
Photo: Race Pictures
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Friday 26.06.26
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Friday 26.06.26
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 156 | |
2 | FerrariFER | 115 | |
3 | MercedesMER | 106 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 75 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 73 | |
6 | McLarenMCL | 70 | |
7 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 55 | |
8 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 37 | |
9 | AlpineALP | 32 | |
10 | Racing BullsRCB | 28 |
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