F1 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix results: Hamilton takes first Ferrari win in Spain

Lewis Hamilton ended his long wait for F1 victory with a landmark first win for Ferrari, leading home George Russell and Lando Norris in a dramatic Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona-Catalunya.

The seven-time world champion used an aggressive undercut strategy, a well-timed Virtual Safety Car stop, and an assertive drive in the closing stages to secure the 106th Grand Prix victory of his career, his first in Ferrari colours, 686 days after his famous 2024 Belgian Grand Prix triumph. 

Mercedes had looked set to dominate early on, with Russell controlling the early pace and Kimi Antonelli mounting a serious challenge. But in the end, Antonelli retired just four laps from the finish after briefly getting ahead of his team-mate.

The race also delivered a historic podium, with Hamilton, Russell and Norris becoming the first trio of British drivers to share a Formula 1 podium since Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees at the 1968 United States Grand Prix.

Full summary of the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix results

• Winner: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
• Second place: George Russell (Mercedes)
• Third place: Lando Norris (McLaren)
• Kimi Antonelli: Retired late while battling for second
• Ollie Bearman: Retired after slipping down the order
• Arvid Lindblad: Scored points with ninth place

2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix results

Hamilton ends Ferrari wait with 106th victory

Having finished second at the previous two rounds of Canada and Monaco, it seemed like Lewis Hamilton was edging ever closer to his first Ferrari victory, and in Barcelona, everything finally came together.

Starting second alongside George Russell, Hamilton held position through Turn 1 before Ferrari committed to an aggressive strategy, bringing him in earlier than the other frontrunners.

Hamilton gained significant time in clean air, then inherited the lead when Russell and Antonelli completed their second stops. A Virtual Safety Car late on allowed Ferrari to complete its third stop with minimal time loss, dropping Hamilton back out just ahead of Russell.

From there, the Briton controlled the race superbly, and despite pressure from the Mercedes pair, he kept the lead and crossed the line for his 106th Grand Prix win, his first since 2024 and his first for Ferrari.

The result also tightened the championship picture, reducing Antonelli’s lead to just 41 points in the Drivers’ Standings.

Russell denied return to the top step after intra-team battle

Through the early stages of the race, George Russell looked set to deliver his second Mercedes victory of the campaign after converting pole position into the race lead.

The Briton controlled the opening stints before the race evolved into a strategic duel with Hamilton and an increasingly aggressive challenge from Antonelli behind.

Russell defended into Turn 1 as his team-mate closed in, with the two Mercedes drivers trading blows through the middle phase of the race.

After his second stop, Russell muscled past Leclerc – who was yet to stop – with an impressive move in the final sector and resumed the chase at the front. But Hamilton’s VSC-assisted stop left him behind the Ferrari once the order settled.

Late in the race, Antonelli finally found a way through in the Mercedes intra-team fight, only for his own race to unravel moments later. Russell inherited second place and brought it home behind Hamilton for his best result since China.

Antonelli retires after late duel

Starting third, Antonelli shadowed the leading pair through the opening stints before closing in on Russell after the pit stops. Several times he attacked into Turn 1 and the final chicane, only for Russell to fend him off.

The breakthrough finally came on Lap 61, when Antonelli edged ahead in another tense wheel-to-wheel exchange between the Mercedes drivers.

But the advantage proved short-lived when, just one lap later, Antonelli slowed with a technical problem and retired from the race, turning a likely podium into a gut-wrenching DNF.

Norris salvages podium after difficult afternoon

Having looked like a genuine threat throughout the practice sessions, Lando Norris and McLaren lacked the outright pace to mount a successful challenge in the race. 

The reigning champion started fourth and remained there through the opening laps while keeping Antonelli in his sights. 
As the race evolved into a battle between Ferrari and Mercedes, Norris quietly stayed in contention, and when Antonelli’s retirement promoted him into podium contention, he needed no further invitation. 

He held onto third in the closing stages to give McLaren its first podium since Miami.

Bearman retires, Lindblad scores again

Ollie Bearman’s difficult run continued in Spain. Qualifying 14th, he lost ground at the start and dropped further behind team-mate Esteban Ocon before eventually retiring from the race.

Arvid Lindblad, by contrast, scored points for the second weekend in succession. Starting 11th, he gained positions early on and stayed within striking distance of the points all afternoon. Retirements ahead eventually elevated him into ninth, securing another great result for Racing Bulls.

2026 Spanish Grand Prix – key takeaways

• Lewis Hamilton takes his first Ferrari victory and his 106th Grand Prix win.
• George Russell finishes second after an intense battle with Antonelli.
• Lando Norris inherits third place after Antonelli’s late retirement.
• Kimi Antonelli retires while battling for second, but retains championship lead.
• Arvid Lindblad scored points with ninth for Racing Bulls.
• Bearman retires after difficult weekend.
• First all-British Formula 1 podium since 1968.

TICKETS: Watch Hamilton, Russell and Norris live at the British Grand Prix