Lewis Hamilton’s historic first victory for Ferrari in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix was a statement to himself as well as to the rest of Formula 1, and the watching world.
It answered doubts Hamilton admitted to having at times himself about whether he could still do the job at the pinnacle of the sport he once dominated.
It justified his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari.
And it proved Ferrari could get back to winning ways after a period that was as difficult for them as it was for the driver who has delivered their first grand prix win since Mexico in October 2024.
The race turned on a virtual safety car that gifted Hamilton a cheap pit stop and ensured he would come out in the lead from Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
But Hamilton and Ferrari did not need the luck. Mercedes admitted after the race that the seven-time champion would have likely beaten them anyway. It would just have required him to pass their cars on track to do it. Such was his pace on fresher tyres, though, that there was little doubt he would have managed it.
