Few folks in System 1 know Lewis Hamilton higher than Toto Wolff. The pair loved one of the profitable partnerships within the sport’s historical past, profitable six drivers’ championships collectively throughout a spell of greater than a decade at Mercedes.
Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari forward of the 2025 season did not ship fast success, with the seven-time world champion enduring a troublesome maiden marketing campaign with the Scuderia wherein he failed to attain a single podium end. However the image has regarded very completely different in 2026.
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The Barcelona victory adopted second-place finishes in Monaco and Canada, whereas Hamilton additionally stood on the rostrum in China earlier within the season.
Hamilton beat his former Mercedes workforce on Sunday. Beginning alongside George Russell on the entrance row, he dedicated to an aggressive three-stop technique and regarded able to difficult for victory even earlier than a digital security automotive intervened late within the race.
When the VSC was triggered, Hamilton was capable of make his ultimate pit cease and emerged forward of the 2 Mercedes drivers earlier than pulling clear to safe Ferrari’s first win of the season.
It additionally marked the primary race in 2026 not gained by a Mercedes driver, with Russell victorious in Australia and Kimi Antonelli having gained all the opposite grands prix earlier than Barcelona.
Talking after the race, Wolff was among the many first to congratulate his former driver.
“Initially, congratulations to Lewis,” he stated. “He is labored so laborious and has gone via so many troublesome moments, notably final yr, that wholeheartedly I am pleased for him that he is gained.
“I’ve all the time stated, if it is not our two [drivers] to win, then it ought to be Lewis. And he merited that in the present day.
“In fact you may say a VSC possibly got here on the proper time, however that is what it’s. Comfortable for Fred [Vasseur, Ferrari team boss] additionally. We had a tricky time with my buddy, even when he annoys me generally, or even when we annoy one another generally.
“However the strain operating Ferrari is big, and that is why I am pleased and relieved for him. And it is one thing that’s… he is near my coronary heart.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Picture by: Anni Graf – System 1 by way of Getty Photographs
Requested what he believes is behind Hamilton’s resurgence, Wolff pointed to each the traits of System 1’s new era of vehicles and the motive force’s state of affairs away from the circuit.
“Arduous work and I feel this can be a automotive that’s possibly completely different to the earlier period vehicles with the bouncing, with the stiffness, possibly not simple to really feel,” Wolff stated.
“And that is again to extra standard driving by way of, I might say, at the very least aerodynamics and car dynamics. Clearly, the engine administration is totally completely different, however you may see he is driving robust.
“The dynamics within the workforce look to be good between him and his race engineer. I noticed him on the rostrum on the telly. I imply, you understand, that face reveals me that he is very pleased.
“Possibly the girlfriend helps! It helped me to have a companion that, you understand, you might have a steady household life and so they appear to be getting on very well.
“I feel it is all of these components that put collectively the emotional, private {and professional} perspective.
“In case you are in a very good place, you win.”
Antonelli’s retirement with 5 laps remaining in Barcelona additionally had championship implications. Hamilton’s victory decreased his deficit to the Italian to 41 factors, whereas Russell’s second-place end leaves the Mercedes driver 9 factors behind Hamilton within the standings.
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