Only a few months have passed, but the words spoken by Lewis Hamilton after the Spanish Grand Prix reveal a shift that cannot go unnoticed. For the first time since donning Ferrari red, Hamilton is speaking about the Scuderia as his team. It is not just a matter of pronouns, but of true belonging. The victory in Barcelona represented much more than a sporting success; it was confirmation that the gamble made at the start of 2025 made sense, even after a season that had led Lewis himself to doubt his own abilities.
Following his maiden triumph behind the wheel of a Ferrari, Hamilton made sure to embrace the entire team. He had only been seen this emotional and happy on two other occasions: his first world title win in Brazil back in 2008, and twelve years later at Istanbul Park, when he matched Michael Schumacher by capturing his seventh world championship.
“How do you find the right words to express an emotion that goes beyond all imagination? – he began in the post-race press conference – I truly believed in what this team could achieve, in what we could achieve together.”
“Everything started with so much enthusiasm, but then there were so many doubts and so much negativity that accompanied us throughout last season. In those moments, I was saved by my fans, my family, and the friends who stayed close to me. Then came the start of a new season, a new year with so many changes, and that allowed me to get to where I am today. I feel so much gratitude and I am truly very proud of the people I work with; they are all passionate, humble, and kind. And, you know, seeing them sing the national anthem today was… wow, an incredible emotion. Simply fantastic.”
In looking back over his 106 Formula 1 victories, Lewis Hamilton emphasized that while all of them have been special, certain ones occupy a unique place in his scrapbook of memories. The success achieved at Silverstone in 2024 (“In its own way a monumental moment for me, because I never thought I’d be able to win my home race again”) is now joined by Barcelona 2026. It marks a sporting resurrection that, at one point, even Lewis himself had started to question.
“After a difficult season, you end up asking yourself questions. I thought: ‘Damn, maybe it’s true that when you reach a certain point, you lose something.’ But I proved that’s not the case. You always have that something; you just need hard work, perseverance, and constant belief in yourself to tap into your inner self, to keep yourself alive, and to keep growing. Physically I feel great. Racing against 19-year-old guys who are doing incredible things is not easy, but I can say that I feel really good.”
Lewis Hamilton also spoke extensively about the work carried out by Ferrari, highlighting the shift in mentality that has put the willingness to take risks back at the center of the stage. “This year is all about innovation. We brought the wing in front of the rear exhaust to the track, then the ‘Macarena’ wing, confirming a new way of thinking that I was already asking for last year. I believed in this team’s capabilities in this aspect as well, and they proved they know how to do it.”
The human element was equally vital. “When I went back to the garage after difficult races, I always found a pat on the back. They always told me: ‘Don’t worry, next time will be better.’ I always received great support. But, obviously, results like this change everything and, if there is a lack of confidence, they restore it completely.”
Lewis also demanded more from himself. Yesterday, he admitted to rolling up his sleeves starting on Christmas Day, while also revealing a previously unknown backstory. “Last year I injured myself right here, at the start of the season, and it affected me for months.” The reference is to the accident that occurred during testing with the SF-23 at the Circuit de Catalunya in late January, when Lewis was involved in a crash that caused significant damage to the car and, as revealed yesterday, to his body as well.
“I started the training program for the 2026 season on Christmas Day, and it was the hardest I have ever faced. Mentally, too, I rebuilt myself to get back to where I was before. And it’s fantastic to be where I am today. I will probably sleep tonight in the red t-shirt I’m wearing now.”
Now Hamilton speaks of ‘his’ team, a squad that, as he emphasized multiple times, he helped build alongside Frederic Vasseur. “First of all, I wouldn’t be in this team without Fred. He was the one who made all of this possible and I am incredibly grateful to him. He kept believing, he’s been a good friend, a great teammate, an ally, and a true supporter. In the end, he listened to me, even though I had to push very hard to get certain changes. And he made them happen. I will be eternally grateful to him, because without those changes, none of this would have happened.”
Lewis Hamilton remained non-committal about the future, but the triumphant day in Barcelona has solidified a confidence that seemed lost at the end of 2025. “It’s very difficult to think long-term right now. It’s simply about taking it one race at a time, one week at a time. I’ll be at the factory next week, we’ll talk with the aerodynamicists, analyze all the upcoming updates, understand when they will arrive and what effect they will have. If necessary, I can help correct the trajectory in the direction I deem most appropriate. We will keep pushing and having fun. Because we also need to have fun.”
Lewis Hamilton’s breakthrough victory in Spain does more than just break a technical drought; it cements his role as the true leader of a resurgent Ferrari, transforming months of intense physical preparation, behind-the-scenes political pushing, and profound self-doubt into a definitive statement of intent for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Leave a Reply