Lewis Hamilton’s first victory in a Ferrari did not fully match the childhood image he had of driving for the famous team, the seven‑time world champion admitted after his breakthrough win.
Hamilton secured the landmark victory at the Circuit de Catalunya, the same venue where, he noted, Michael Schumacher won his first race for Ferrari 30 years earlier. That parallel was vivid for Hamilton, who recalled sitting at home as a child and imagining what it might be like to sit in a Ferrari cockpit and stand on the top step in the team’s iconic colours.
“It was 30 years ago that Michael won,” Hamilton said after the race. “I would have been at home on my couch watching that race. Probably like many of you, with a plate on my lap, eating a sandwich or maybe chicken noodle soup or something like that on a Sunday – I was 12 – if I wasn’t racing.”
While the memory of Schumacher’s red‑clad celebrations stayed with him, Hamilton pointed out that his own Ferrari does not display as much traditional red as he had imagined. “I was just looking at that red car and thinking, ‘I wonder what it’s like sitting in that red cockpit?’ My cockpit happens to be white, which I’ve not been too happy about. I wanted to be red like Michael’s. I’ll get it back to red at some stage,” he said. He added how special it was to experience the sensation of wearing the team suit, standing in victory and sharing that moment with the crew.
Hamilton described celebrating with Ferrari’s mechanics as one of the highlight moments of the weekend. “It was really amazing to witness and to see the joy in their eyes and to feel it with them,” he said. “I nearly passed out after I hugged them. My heart was exploding with joy.” The emotional scene underlines how meaningful the victory was for both driver and team, and how much symbolism remains attached to Ferrari’s colours and traditions.
There has been public debate this season about Ferrari’s livery — the way the team’s traditional red sits alongside the blue of its title sponsor has prompted comment from fans and pundits. Hamilton’s remarks about preferring a red cockpit echo those sentiments: for many, the visual identity of Ferrari is inseparable from its history and heritage, and changes to the livery draw particular attention.
Beyond the colour discussion, Hamilton’s win at Barcelona will be remembered for the way it connected past and present. The victory linked his own long career and deep admiration for Ferrari icons to a contemporary achievement in a new team environment. He spoke warmly about standing in front of the mechanics and hearing the national anthem, and how every part of the moment felt significant after so many years of racing.
For Hamilton personally, the first Ferrari win represents an important milestone. It was a chance to experience the full sweep of emotions that come with achieving a long‑sought goal: the childlike wonder of imagining oneself in a red cockpit, the competitive drive that has defined his career, and the human joy of celebrating with a committed group of engineers and mechanics who have worked collectively toward the same objective.
The race at the Circuit de Catalunya offered a fitting backdrop for those emotions: a track with its own history in Formula 1, and one that has seen many memorable firsts. Hamilton’s reflections after the victory combined nostalgia for the sport’s great moments with a present‑tense appreciation for what his new chapter with Ferrari has already delivered.
Pictures: Various red and red-and-white Ferrari liveries
2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
Related coverage and features from the weekend:
- Ferrari’s livery isn’t red enough for Hamilton
- ‘There were definitely moments I thought ‘maybe you do lose it’ – Hamilton
- Mercedes reveal pit crew made ‘incorrect adjustment’ on Russell’s car at last pit stop
- Hamilton can “stick middle finger up” at critics after first Ferrari win – Norris
- Hamilton reveals he carried injury throughout 2025 season after “big crash” at Catalunya
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