Lewis Hamilton savored his first podium with Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix, delivering heartfelt thanks and emotion over team radio. The weekend marked a historic moment in Formula 1: Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed his first victory, while Hamilton achieved his first career podium with the Scuderia. The British driver fought an incredible duel with Charles Leclerc to secure third place, confirming his excellent form. The SF-26 is a car capable of challenging Mercedes, but there remains “a lot of work to do.”
It was a radiant Lewis Hamilton who, beneath the podium, congratulated Andrea Kimi Antonelli and expressed his gratitude to the Ferrari team. The seven-time world champion returned to the podium after a drought lasting more than a season. His last appearance on a Formula 1 podium dated back to 2024, with a second-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the United States. In 2025, his first year with the Prancing Horse, the #44 had only come close to the podium on four occasions.
This result represents both a sporting and moral redemption, providing confidence in a season that, despite the quality of the SF-26, has started on a challenging note. The W17 proved too fast, demonstrating an unmatched race pace even in Shanghai. Strong starts remain a positive, with Hamilton managing to take the lead into the first corner, but work on the Power Unit will be crucial to close the gap to Mercedes.
Hamilton’s team radio: “Forza Ferrari!”
After crossing the finish line, Lewis Hamilton delivered an emotional team radio message: “That was a fantastic job, guys, really fantastic. Really well done. I’m proud of what we’re doing. Now we need to keep going like this, keep pushing. We have a lot of work to do, but I believe in you. Let’s keep pushing. Forza Ferrari!”
The sheer passion in Lewis Hamilton’s voice at the end of the Chinese GP signals a driver who has fully embraced the weight and prestige of the Ferrari legacy. After a year of “what-ifs” in 2025, this podium feels like the true start of the Lewis Hamilton-Ferrari era. It isn’t just about the trophy; it’s about the psychological shift within the team. By beating a driver as formidable as Charles Leclerc on merit and track position, the Briton has proven that he still possesses the clinical edge required to lead Ferrari’s title aspirations. After the Japanese Grand Prix, the sport moves into a brief hiatus due to the cancellation of the Middle Eastern rounds and Lewis Hamilton’s message of belief acts as a powerful motivator for the engineers back in Italy. They have the driver and the platform; now, the race is on to provide the horsepower needed to turn these third places into wins.
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