Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton takes first victory for Ferrari, Mercedes couldn't find answers - ESPN

Lewis Hamilton has claimed his first win for Ferrari with a stunning victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix as title leader Kimi Antonelli suffered a late retirement.

Hamilton delivered a brilliant drive to nail a three-stop strategy and capitalized on a perfectly timed virtual safety car to earn his first win since the Belgian Grand Prix in 2024 — 40 races and 686 days ago.

In doing so, the 41-year-old became the oldest Formula 1 race winner since Jack Brabham in 1970.

Hamilton roared into the championship race as runaway leader Antonelli — whose five-race winning streak was snapped — suffered a late engine failure having just overtaken teammate George Russell for second.

Hamilton vowed after securing back-to-back second places in Monaco last weekend that he would chase down Antonelli; the Italian's lead was slashed from 66 points to 41.

Russell had looked on course to secure a first win since the opening weekend, but Hamilton closed in during his third stint before a cheap pit stop under the virtual safety car was the gift he needed to end his wait for victory.

It was Ferrari's first win since Carlos Sainz's success in Mexico City in 2024.

Lando Norris finished third ahead of Max Verstappen.

It was a baking hot grid, with a track temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) at lights out helping force multiple race strategies.

Hamilton gambled by starting on soft tires from second, after securing his best qualifying result as a Scuderia driver on Saturday.

It could have given him the edge off the line, but Russell held the seven-time world champion at bay on the lengthy 598-metre dash down to Turn 1, with Antonelli fending off the challenge of Norris to hold third.

Russell opened up a commanding advantage.