Lewis Hamilton secured his maiden victory for Ferrari in the Barcelona Grand Prix. The win came after strategic decisions by the team exploited errors from Mercedes.
Hamilton started on soft tyres and committed early to a three-stop strategy. This move forced Mercedes into reactive pit stops that disrupted their preferred two-stop plan.
George Russell noted after the race that his team pitted too early to cover Hamilton. He added that staying on the two-stop strategy might have been better.
A virtual safety car later aided Hamilton but Ferrari maintained that superior pace would have delivered the win regardless. Team principal Fred Vasseur confirmed the team felt confident even without the interruption.
Toto Wolff expressed regret over Mercedes failing to widen their lead early or use team orders when pace differences emerged between drivers.