Spraying champagne again after sixteen months. Embracing Peter “Bono” Bonnington once more, his former alter ego on the pit wall. Doing so alongside Kimi, his designated successor at Mercedes. Hearing Toto Wolff repeat his Saturday joke — “We have three drivers at the front” — with a tone full of affection towards him. But above all: having fought Charles Leclerc and beaten him for the first time. For all these reasons, Lewis Hamilton felt reborn, as if he had been reconnected with the very best version of his past. His words left no doubt: “I felt alive.” The double disqualification from a year ago in Shanghai was forgotten, and his entire 2025 season was firmly consigned to the archives.
Hamilton returns to the podium after 16 months
He beat his team-mate and returned to the podium — the 203rd of his career — sixteen months after his most recent one (second place in Las Vegas 2024, with Mercedes). Ferrari made the right call in allowing their drivers to fight: they were not going to catch the Mercedes cars ahead, and behind them the impressive Oliver Bearman in the Haas was not in a position to capitalise. The start had been perfect for Ferrari, with the top two positions immediately secured thanks to a stronger launch (helped by the smaller turbo compared to Mercedes). But it did not last long, as expected. Ferrari held its own in the mixed sections, but on the straights the Silver Arrows had superior speed.
Hamilton and Leclerc free to fight: what a spectacle
Dropping to third and fourth within just four laps, after the only pit stop on lap 10 (triggered by the Safety Car following Lance Stroll’s retirement), they managed to pass George Russell, who was initially struggling on the hard tyres. That is where the Ferrari duel began, continuing even after Russell regained second place. The first attack came from Leclerc at Turn 14 at the end of the longest straight, catching Hamilton by surprise (lap 24). Lewis immediately fought back at Turn 1, followed by more wheel-to-wheel action on lap 27, again on lap 35 when Charles made a significant braking error, and on lap 40, when Charles Leclerc radioed the pit wall: “It’s quite a fun battle.” His engineer Bryan Bozzi replied without much enthusiasm: “I’m glad.” Ferrari therefore let the two drivers race freely — and it was absolutely the right decision.
Hamilton enjoys the fight with Leclerc and praises Antonelli: “A privilege…”
“It was one of my best races of recent years,” Hamilton said, wearing a rather unusual Ferrari cap featuring the northern lights. “I am grateful to everyone in Maranello who worked on this recovery — it’s a great foundation to build on.” He was clearly delighted with the battle he won against Leclerc: “We had several wheel-to-wheel moments, tough but fair. It was a great fight.”
He also had kind words for Andrea Kimi Antonelli: “Congratulations to him, he did an exceptional job. As a veteran, it’s a privilege to be on the podium with him. It’s special to witness his first victory from so close.”
Hamilton takes on Mercedes and trusts the SF-26
Lewis Hamilton also spoke about Ferrari’s performance with confidence looking ahead: “The difficulty in matching Mercedes’ pace is only on the straights — it’s a matter of power. They must have started developing their power unit earlier than us, and they probably have more power also thanks to a larger turbo. But in the corners we are as strong as they are.”
All observations that connect to the technical debate from the winter: whether Mercedes is currently able to exceed the new compression ratio limit, set at 16:1. New hot-condition testing criteria will be introduced starting from the Monaco Grand Prix (June 5–7), but the Silver Star appears already prepared to meet them.
The Chinese Grand Prix therefore served as a vital turning point for Lewis Hamilton’s tenure at Ferrari. By proving he can still go toe-to-toe with the grid’s elite and finding a car that rewards his aggressive style in the corners, the seven-time champion has sent a clear message that the Scuderia is on the right path. As the technical battle moves toward Monaco, the momentum behind the Briton and the SF-26 continues to build.
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