BARCELONA — Lewis Hamilton didn’t shy away from explaining the emotions behind his first Formula 1 victory with Ferrari, putting a spotlight on how he navigated the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced since joining the team last year.After winning Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, the Briton credited his fans, family and friends, saying they “really rescued me” last year when he endured what he previously described as a nightmare first season with the Italian team. The seven-time world champion ended last season without a podium finish — the first time in his F1 career he hadn’t secured a top-three place during a campaign — and was sixth in the drivers’ standings, 86 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc.“I truly believed in my decision, joining Ferrari,” Hamilton told reporters Sunday in Barcelona. “I truly believed what this team could achieve, what we could achieve together, and I know it started out with lots of excitement, and then lots of doubt, and lots of negativity that followed through a whole year. I really feel like my fans really rescued me last year. My family also, and friends that stuck with me through it all.”Hamilton sent shockwaves throughout the F1 world on Feb. 14, 2024. The season hadn’t even begun when it was announced he was leaving Mercedes, the team he had won six of his seven world championships with, for the iconic Ferrari team which hadn’t won a drivers’ title since Kimi Räikkönen did so in 2007.But the buzz which surrounded the team during last year’s preseason soon shifted as Hamilton failed to live up to the hope.“I’m only human. There’s moments where I see the stuff, and for sure there’s moments where I allowed it to get to me and penetrate deeply,” he said of the negativity around his debut Ferrari season.Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton said: “I came from really quite a low place to get back here. It’s about never giving up.“For the people that say negative stuff, I often use that as fuel. It’s easy to be negative about people. Last year, several of the fans were shouting at me ‘don’t forget who you are’ and it really resonated with me.“I had to question how do I find myself again, find the courage and strength to keep going. The team has been amazing. There’s lots of things I wanted to change, there’s still a lot of work to do, (but) to come across the line in the red car — wow — I dreamt of it as a kid.”Lewis Hamilton was racing in his 31st grand prix for Ferrari. (Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images)After the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 41-year-old said he was going to unplug during the offseason. He went on a mission to reset, spending time with the people who truly know him. And then, even on Christmas Day, began training hard. He revealed he suffered an injury last year at Barcelona that lingered for months, but coming into this season kept himself in “good shape.”“You’ve got to continue to believe in yourself at the core, and those are the things that I’ve managed to reimplement into my mentality,” Hamilton explained to reporters, “and I’ve rebuilt my mind to this point to get myself back to where I was, and it’s a great feeling to stand on that podium.”Hamilton’s victory comes off consecutive second-place finishes and it felt as if the Briton’s time on the top step of the podium was coming at some point this season. He sits second in the drivers’ championship, just 41 points adrift of leader Kimi Antonelli.It’ll take time to know whether Ferrari can repeat this winning feat, given the deficit to Mercedes. But, for now, Hamilton is planning “to go to sleep in this red top.”“It’s a good feeling to have the horse on there,” he said.Jun 14, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms