BARCELONA — It took longer than many would have initially expected when Lewis Hamilton made his sensational switch from Mercedes to Ferrari last year but, in his 31st grand prix for Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton finally has won for the famed team in red.The seven-time world champion took advantage of a virtual safety car midway through the race in Barcelona after Fernando Alonso had gone off the track, and from thereon extended his advantage over Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for a brilliant victory.“I started out a dream last year which seemed almost impossible during my time last year,” Hamilton said in his post-race interview immediately after the race. “But we never gave up hope. The team just continued to lift me up. We made so many changes and so many improvements. On top of that, I’ve got the greatest fan base a sportsman could ever ask for. Thank you, thank you to everybody.”Russell, who had started on pole, had to settle for second, finishing on the podium for the first time since his second place in China in March.Championship leader Antonelli, looking for a sixth-straight win, retired in the final laps when second looked to be his. It means the gap between him and Hamilton in the drivers’ championship reduces to 41. Completing the podium was McLaren’s Lando Norris for the first all-British top three since 1968.Our experts Luke Smith and Madeline Coleman analyze the key talking points on a memorable Sunday at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand.One of the greatest wins of Hamilton’s careerAfter all the misery of his first year with Ferrari, the podium drought and emotional rollercoaster that left him questioning his own ability, Lewis Hamilton has finally hit another peak.He’s won everything there is to win. But doing so with Ferrari, the sport’s most iconic team, was always going to mean so much more. On Sunday in Barcelona, that moment finally arrived.This wasn’t a fluke, either. No inherited victory. It was a prime Hamilton performance.It was the first all-British top three since 1968. (Lluis Gene / AFP via Getty Images)Soft tires for the opening stint signalled Hamilton and Ferrari’s all-in push for the win, going aggressive against Russell and Antonelli on the slower, longer-lasting mediums. Although it wasn’t enough to get Hamilton into the lead off the line, Ferrari kept on the front foot by pitting first and forcing Mercedes to respond at the front.Ferrari did the same at the second round of stops, Hamilton coming in early after a short stint. This time, Mercedes didn’t despond, instead keeping Russell and Antonelli out. Armed with fresher rubber, Hamilton carved into the gap at a rate of two seconds per lap as Mercedes committed to a two-stop race versus Hamilton’s three-stop.Lewis Hamilton takes the chequered flag in Barcelona. (Clive Rose / Getty Images)The sound of Hamilton on the radio, hungrily asking his engineer for updates as he hunted down the opposition, was reminiscent of the seven-time world champion in his heyday. He knew he was in the picture for the race win. “We have our chance,” said race engineer Carlo Santi.The virtual safety car put the race firmly into Hamilton’s hands, allowing him to make his final stop without giving up the lead to Russell. It set up a straight fight to the finish, with Hamilton on the fresher tires and a couple of seconds ahead.Hamilton didn’t look back. He pumped in a fastest lap soon after the resumption, and quickly built up the margin to Russell behind who was powerless to respond. Santi chimed in on the radio to remind Hamilton to look after his tires, knowing that without a major incident, the race was his.