Formula 1 in Spain: Mercedes slowed down: first Ferrari triumph for Hamilton

Hamilton (41) benefited from a daring pit stop strategy and was able to be celebrated as race winner for the first time since July 28, 2024. After a disappointing debut season at Ferrari, the seven-time champion is back in action. The Brit consolidated his second place in the overall standings, 41 points behind the Italian Antonelli.

The next frustrating experience was for Nico Hülkenberg. The Audi driver had secured his best starting position of the year in ninth place, but had to retire before half the race due to technical problems. The Rhinelander is still waiting for his first World Cup points for the German car manufacturer’s factory team.

Russell is getting talk therapy

For the first time this season, the 19-year-old high-flyer Antonelli missed the front row of the grid for a Grand Prix. In the thrilling qualifying he had to settle for third place. For Russell, the pole position was the long-awaited boost after he had recently been increasingly left behind by his young team rival.

Team boss Toto Wolff even asked his supposed chief pilot for talk therapy. “Emotionally, we gave him support and told him: We are behind you, let’s start again,” explained Wolff.

Russell immediately seemed more confident again, took the tenth pole position of his career and defended his lead through the first few corners in his 100th Grand Prix for Mercedes. Unlike the Mercedes drivers, Hamilton had opted for a softer and therefore supposedly faster set of tires, but initially couldn’t get past Russell.

A week after the somewhat chaotic race in Monaco, the teams were hoping for trouble-free pit stops this time. In Monte Carlo, a number of drivers were given time penalties for speeding too quickly in the pit lane. Apparently there were technical errors in the measurement, so that Alpine pilot Pierre Gasly was awarded third place five days late after a protest.

This time the Frenchman had nothing to do with the top places. Even after the first tire changes, Russell defended his lead over Hamilton, who achieved his best qualifying result since moving from Mercedes to Ferrari last year with second place on the grid. Behind them were Antonelli and world champion Lando Norris in the McLaren, each within striking distance.

Safety car helps Hamilton

The race increasingly developed into a game of strategy chess. Hamilton got fresh tires for the second time on lap 28, followed a three-stop tactic and wanted to attack at the end. At the front, Antonelli caught up with Russell, but couldn’t get past. The Mercedes engineers warned their drivers on the radio against careless maneuvers. In Canada, both had fought a tough duel for the lead before Russell retired.

After the Mercedes drivers’ second pit stop, things suddenly tilted in Hamilton’s favor. Old master Fernando Alonso had to park his Aston Martin with a defect in what was perhaps his last visit to Barcelona. The field was slowed down by a virtual safety car. Hamilton took the opportunity to drive to the garage again – and then remained first.

“You’re at the front,” the box announced to the 41-year-old. “Good job, boys,” he thanked. An investigation into a possible offense under a yellow warning flag also had no consequences for the record champion. With fresh tires and a Ferrari that was super fast this time, Hamilton hurried away.

The Mercedes drivers could no longer follow. Antonelli squeezed past Russell with a few laps to go, but stopped a short time later.