The Winners and Losers of the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix of F1 was a race that saw plenty of pivotal moments despite a lack of wheel-to-wheel action. In that vein, Lewis Hamilton provided Ferrari with its first-ever Formula 1 victory at the expense of Mercedes, thus completing his move to Maranello after many years. Simultaneously, the title fight took another turn against Mercedes after the leading Kimi Antonelli had to retire due to mechanical failure. Overall, some racers were satisfied by the end of the race weekend, while others felt disappointed having lost valuable points due to reliability problems.
Overall, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya suited the teams that had managed to take care of tyres and strategy in the best way. It should be mentioned that Ferrari is clearly the main winner of the race. Alpine and McLaren also gained from the Spanish round. On the contrary, Aston Martin, Audi and even some of the frontrunners had to leave Spain disappointed.
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – Winner
Hamilton truly stole the show this weekend! Kicking off from the front row, he executed a bold three-stop strategy and showcased impressive speed to clinch his first victory with Ferrari, marking the 106th win of his Formula 1 journey. The British driver crossed the finish line a whopping 19.561 seconds ahead of George Russell, delivering Ferrari’s best result of the season. Plus, this win marked his seventh triumph in Barcelona, setting a new record for the circuit!
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – Loser
Antonelli came into Barcelona leading the championship but faced his first retirement of the season. After passing his teammate George Russell and putting himself in a solid position, his Mercedes unfortunately came to a halt due to a power unit issue on Lap 61. This retirement not only cost him precious points but also snapped an impressive streak of consistency. While he’s still in the running for the title, the Italian has lost some momentum at a pivotal moment in the season.
George Russell (Mercedes) – Winner
Russell started from pole position and managed to secure a solid second place, earning himself 18 crucial championship points. While he faced some challenges with his pace towards the end and was overtaken by Antonelli before the retirement, this result was significant as it marked his first podium finish since China. Plus, it helped narrow the gap to Antonelli in the standings, reigniting his title aspirations as he heads into Austria.
Lando Norris (McLaren) – Winner
Lando Norris delivered another impressive performance for McLaren. He qualified in fourth place and kept up a solid race pace, ultimately finishing third and earning his second podium of the season. This achievement followed two back-to-back retirements and brought him closer to the top contenders in the championship. His skill in managing tyre wear was key in the challenging conditions.
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – Loser
Alonso faced a tough day at his home race. After starting from the back of the grid, the Aston Martin driver had to retire on Lap 37 due to a battery issue. His teammate, Lance Stroll, didn’t fare any better, retiring after just five laps, which meant the team ended up without a single finisher. For Alonso, who might have just made his last Formula 1 appearance in Barcelona, it was a frustrating conclusion to a challenging weekend.
