Nico Rosberg breaks down Ferrari’s role in Lewis Hamilton’s F1 Spanish GP struggle. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth in the Spanish Grand Prix.

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton concluded the Spanish Grand Prix in sixth place after losing out to Nico Hulkenberg in the final moments of the race. The late-race drama unfolded under a Safety Car triggered by Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s engine failure, a moment that proved costly for Ferrari and particularly detrimental for Hamilton’s result.

As the Safety Car emerged, Ferrari opted to bring Lewis Hamilton into the pits in an attempt to gain a strategic edge for the restart. However, this decision backfired as Nico Hulkenberg, driving for Sauber, managed to overtake the seven-time world champion in the closing laps. The move not only secured Hulkenberg a top-six finish but also delivered Sauber their first championship points of the season.

Hamilton’s performance had started strong, with the Briton initially running in fourth after a clean launch. However, he was soon forced to relinquish position to a faster Charles Leclerc, who was putting in quicker lap times in the sister Ferrari. As the British driver struggled with rear tyre degradation, Ferrari made the tactical call to swap their drivers, allowing Charles Leclerc to push for a podium.

Former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who was commentating on the race for Sky Sports F1, noted that the Briton’s race turned sour when he had to let his Maranello teammate past. Nico Rosberg remarked that being asked to yield to a teammate—especially for someone of Lewis Hamilton’s stature—was a situation he described as “horrible.” According to Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, as a seven-time world champion and one of the sport’s greatest drivers, would have found it particularly demoralizing to move aside for his younger teammate.

Despite the internal team strategy, Ferrari’s call ultimately proved correct. Charles Leclerc capitalized on a key mistake by Red Bull Racing during the Safety Car window. Max Verstappen, who had exhausted his allocation of medium and soft tyres, was fitted with hard tyres for the final stint. The Dutch driver struggled for grip at the restart, running wide out of the final corner and leaving the door open for Charles Leclerc to pull alongside and execute a clean overtake down the main straight into Turn 1.

While the Monegasque driver surged forward, Lewis Hamilton found himself unable to match the pace of those around him. His tyre wear and lack of grip meant that even a potential podium was out of reach. Ultimately, he fell behind George Russell, who crossed the line in fourth, cementing a solid double-points finish for Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton’s sixth-place finish marks a disappointing but educational outing for Ferrari, who will undoubtedly review their strategy decisions as they continue to refine their performance for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Hulkenberg’s late-race charge offered a glimmer of hope for Sauber, suggesting they may yet have more to offer as the championship progresses.