Hamilton says Barcelona win beyond wildest dreams | BBC News (GB)

Lewis Hamilton struggled to find words to describe the profound emotion of securing his first victory for Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, a moment he called "beyond your wildest dreams." The seven-time champion, in his second season with the Italian team, clinched the win ahead of fellow Britons George Russell and Lando Norris, marking a historic first all-British podium in Formula 1 since the 1968 United States Grand Prix.

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How do you find the right words to express an emotion that's beyond your wildest dreams?

After a challenging first season with Ferrari, where he failed to reach the podium in any of the 24 Grands Prix, this victory represents a significant redemption. Hamilton had openly doubted himself at times during the previous year, struggling to adapt and finishing far behind teammate Charles Leclerc. He credited his fans, family, and friends for their unwavering support through that difficult period.

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Pretty cool. It's pretty special. It's nice. And with Ferrari again, it's even cooler to kind of see that partnership come through and kind of pay dividends.

A virtual safety car period mid-race allowed Hamilton to pit and rejoin in the lead, a strategic advantage that ultimately secured his win. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli retired from second place late in the race, promoting Norris to third and narrowing Antonelli's lead in the drivers' standings.

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You could see how much it meant to him. At the same time, he's obviously had a lot of people talk badly about him and he's got a lot of crap online from a lot of people, so it's nice that he can stick the middle finger up to all of them.

Both Russell and Norris expressed their admiration for Hamilton's achievement. Norris highlighted the significance of seeing the partnership with Ferrari pay off and acknowledged the criticism Hamilton faced, stating it was "nice that he can stick the middle finger up to all of them." Russell, who was Hamilton's teammate at Mercedes for three seasons, praised the "big, bold move" to join Ferrari and called the moment "very special."

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We both sort of grew up as fans of Lewis and, you know, for myself, spending three years together in Mercedes, so much respect.